


Loki Superstar

by elarielf



Category: Avengers (Comics), Jesus Christ Superstar - All Media Types, Norse Mythology, The Avengers (2012), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Coulson Lives, Fanfiction of (published) Fanfiction (squared), Gen, Loki is Jesus (I'm going to hell for this and it's not even porn), My sister made me do this, Passover fic, Politics, Pseudo-character death-ish-ness, Wordcount: 10.000-30.000, easter fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-25
Updated: 2013-03-31
Packaged: 2017-12-06 10:48:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/734819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elarielf/pseuds/elarielf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Loki joins the Avengers, preaching a message of non-judgemental protection and fairness for all, he arouses the ire of certain powerful leaders and organizations. As he manages to turn his enemies into allies and friends, he becomes estranged from his brother, who begins to have doubts as Loki's message seems to take on a life and meaning of its own.</p><p>A merging of Avengers, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Norse Mythology wherein Loki might seem to be Jesus, but he never stops being Loki.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> _I remember when this whole thing began_  
>  _No talk of gods then, we called you a_ [n alien lifeform with sufficiently advanced technology that it seemed like magic and/or brother]  
> \- _Jesus Christ Superstar_. Mostly.
> 
> Happy Passover, everyone!

The first year Loki joined the Avengers, dragged there by a determined Thor and grudgingly accepted by people who had no reason to trust him on any level, he was very quiet. Steve kept him firmly on back-up, away from the front lines and watched by at least one other Avenger, other than Thor. With Loki’s magic working over long distances and capable of doing a great deal of damage with very little risk, he was helpful but nothing impressive. The Avengers could have operated well enough without him, and meals would certainly have been less awkward, but Thor had advocated long and hard for his brother, a relationship that Loki now acknowledged, explaining that Loki was no longer welcome in Asgard despite the fact that he had no more evil intent.

After a year, that seemed to be true. Loki had managed to keep out of trouble and prove himself a decent ally, even refraining from the casual pranking that Thor claimed he was notorious for in Asgard. Clint and Natasha took every opportunity to remind everyone that it wasn’t impossible that Loki was playing a long game, but Tony soon grew sick of the effort that mistrusting someone he lived with took (and, after Obadiah, he was more than willing to brutally murder anyone who turned on him and he made that known) and Steve had to admit that Loki was the only Avenger who had actually been an ideal soldier, quietly following orders and adapting himself to the situations they faced. Bruce was comfortable with being a walking insurance policy against Loki’s good behaviour and, despite how readily she backed Clint up, Natasha actually found that being able to read through Loki’s bullshit about six times out of ten made conversations with him interesting.

Clint refused to have any conversations with Loki at all.

Thor, still Loki’s staunchest ally and supporter, was overjoyed at the way most of his friends and teammates were gradually warming to his brother, to the point that he allowed Loki to slowly pull away from him as he made relationships that looked almost like friendship with some of the other Avengers.

It was halfway through his second year, during a meeting with the Avengers and their S.H.I.E.L.D. handlers, that Loki’s tenuous position with the Avengers changed.

“You’re the heart and soul of the Avengers, Cap, but Loki’s just a better strategist. You’ll still be the leader, you’ll just be following Loki’s instructions.”

“All due respect, sir, I fail to see how that makes me anything but a go-between.”

“You’re still making all the calls, Loki’s just going to give you the strategies to follow. And then stay around to tell you new strategies when the situation changes. You’ll still be relaying the orders.”

Clint snorted from where he was standing in the corner, arms crossed, leaning against the wall as if he wasn’t tense enough to start firing at any minute. Given that the team had a super soldier, an overly trained assassin, a hulk, and one then two Norse Gods, rules about coming to meetings unarmed just seemed unfair. “Loki’s orders.”

“Loki’s suggestions,” Fury corrected. “We’re not just handing him over the keys.”

“Good thing too,” Tony said. “I’ve seen him drive.”

“The instructions I was given were for an automatic automobile. Given the lack of a clutch in the schematics, confusing it with the brake was, I think, understandable,” Loki said, defending himself for the first time this conversation. “And, incidentally, I did not ask for this assignment. I agree that a change is needed, as Steven seems to have difficulty ordering people into harm’s way, and I will serve if it is agreed that it is for the best, but I did not request it.”

“Or make subtle hints in your reports about the necessity of it?” Bruce asked semi-innocently. Tony swallowed a laugh.

Thor stood, which was never a good sign. “Are you implying my brother would use underhanded methods to gain his way?”

“Where on earth would we have gotten that idea?” Clint asked in a stage whisper, just loud enough that everyone could overhear, to Natasha who smiled, clearly making a mental list. A _long_ mental list.

As if he hadn’t been interrupted, Thor continued. “He is fully reformed and committed to the protection of Midgard and her inhabitants. Any who would accuse him of falsehood and cowardice must answer directly to me.”

Loki gently massaged his temples as Thor’s diatribe grew in volume. Everyone else just looked unimpressed, as Thor had been making basically that exact speech on a nearly weekly basis, whenever anyone came close to criticizing Loki. They generally either waited it out or changed the subject, unless Clint was feeling particularly hard-done-by or Tony was feeling particularly argumentative. Loki had been forced to rescue them both from an outright challenge more than once.

Fury, however, was slightly less used to this. He fixed Thor with a one-eyed glare. “God of lies and mischief, Thor. Seems like a fair cop to me.”

Thor inhaled sharply, preparing another tirade, but Steve held up his hand, stopping him mid-breath. “Look, I don’t have a problem trying this out. If it works, then fine. If it doesn’t, we can go back to the way things were.”

“Or give the Widow a chance, which is what I rather expected would happen after all those subtle hints,” Loki added.

“That’s sweet,” Natasha said. “I’ll remember that when you’re deliberately ordering me into harm’s way for the sake of whatever tactics your psychotic brain thinks up.” Loki winked at her.

“Then we are decided,” Fury said firmly and that was the end of that.

No one was expecting Loki to be nearly the brilliant leader, er, _strategist_ that he turned out to be. Not even Loki himself. After two months, Steve declared the probation period was over and Loki was, officially, in charge of the Avenger’s battle tactics. In reality, however, he was their mission leader, while Steve remained in charge on paper and off mission. After another month, they gave up all pretence to anything else and Loki started barking his orders directly, rather than through Captain America. Nothing else changed except that they got through their missions faster and with fewer casualties and less collateral damage.

While Natasha, Thor, and Steve were quick to adapt to the new command structure, the others had some problems. The Hulk had always been hard to control at the best of times, and his somewhat less-than-fond memories of Loki during their first meeting had left behind strong lingering resentment and distrust. The best Loki could do was work around him and stay out of his way, which wasn’t always possible and occasionally ended with a semi-comatose god lying at the feet of a sheepish Hulk. Tony, equally hard to control in his own way, only fell into line once Loki had needed to teleport him away from certain death one time too many when he hadn’t followed orders, and threatened him privately and at great length. No one knew what Loki had said, as Tony had wiped JARVIS’s memory banks and then manually removed and destroyed the hard-drive they’d been saved on, but whatever it was had worked and Tony was, if just as snarky and verbally rebellious as normal, now quick to follow Loki’s instructions.

Clint was another problem altogether. While the Hulk was a big ball of id and couldn’t be reasoned with, and Tony had no reason (other than being a natural ass) to be the ass he so often was, Clint had very good reasons for being leery of Loki, particularly in a leadership position. He followed orders, but grudgingly, and he quickly became the least reliable member of the team, something that sat poorly with everyone else, especially Loki and Clint himself.

Rather than a quick-fix, like with Tony, or avoiding the issue like with Bruce, Loki took a slightly longer-term approach with Clint.

“You want me to _what_?”

“Just once a week. If you like, you can bring your own coffee,” Loki offered magnanimously. “Then I certainly can’t poison it.” He frowned. “Though I wouldn’t of course. Clumsy, inefficient form of assassination…”

Clint perked up. “No. I mean, yeah, I’m definitely not drinking anything you offer me, but I want Natasha there too.”

Loki looked surprised that his casual mention of assassination pinged Clint to the option of having Natasha accompany him. In fact, he looked a little too surprised for it to be anything but intentional. But he was grave and magnanimous in victory. “Very well.”

And that was what started the weekly coffee break meetings between Loki and Clint, featuring Natasha.

Thor was a little put out that he hadn’t received an invitation, hadn’t even been consulted, but Loki assured him it had nothing to do with him and everything to do with Clint. Partially mollified, Thor only pouted silently when Loki took Clint (clutching at Natasha’s arm) aside for their private talks.

At first, they were nothing but bland recaps of their week. Clint maintained his will power and brought his own drink, but soon gave in and started munching on the fresh baking that Loki somehow provided. Natasha, less personally involved, ate and drank at Loki’s side freely, with no ill effects. It looked as though Clint was weakening in his resolve, particularly after he forgot to pick something up a few times and Loki always poured an extra cup, steaming throughout the whole meeting through some sort of magic, just sitting there, taunting him.

But that wasn’t what broke first.

“I can’t believe Tony has us hawking merchandise,” Clint complained a few months into this arrangement, before Loki could even start the ‘meeting’. Natasha grunted in what could have been agreement, but which was probably appreciation over the lemon loaf, sparkling slightly with sugary icing. “There are idiots out there who are going to drop fifty bucks on a freaking mouse pad because Captain America told them to! I thought I’d left that behind with the circus.”

Loki shrugged and sipped at his latte. “Your circus issues aside,” which was kind of like putting aside Tony’s father issues or Loki’s racial issues, “it’s not as though Anthony or Steven are forcing anyone to do anything against their will.”

“You’d be the expert on that,” Natasha said casually, grabbing another piece of the loaf. Loki nodded.

“There is no way, magical or otherwise, to impel anyone to act against their own nature.” Natasha looked interested and Loki put his mug aside, clearly intending on expanding on his lecture. “You see–”

“What about the spear?”

Loki and Natasha turned to Clint, with nearly identical expressions of polite curiosity on their faces.

“The spear? With the Tesseract?”

Loki’s eyes widened. “Ah.” Natasha put her fork down and watched them avidly, prepared to move if needed but staying out of things for now.

Clint wasn’t done. “You’re telling me that wasn’t really mind control?”

Years together, and somehow this had never been discussed. Loki rose from his seat, moving so the table wasn’t between him and Clint.

“Not in the sense you mean. What control it wielded was nothing more than a lowering of inhibitions and an alteration in priorities. Nothing anyone did while under the Tesseract’s influence was against their – or our – nature.”

Clint jumped to his feet. “I killed people for you. _Good_ people!”

“As you have done before and may do once again. Let’s not pretend for a moment that you did anything new under my control, and that you wouldn’t do the same under my command now, if I justified it hard enough.”

“I’m not that man! Not anymore, and you… you _made_ me.”

Loki shook his head. “You made your own calls. You made the calls for many of the others who were not, I might remind you, controlled by anything other than their own greed and dislike of S.H.I.E.L.D.” He moved towards Clint, slow and steady, as if approaching a wild animal. “You were given the mission, Clint. You created the means yourself.”

Clint gave a small broken cry and launched himself at Loki, landing blow after blow on the unresisting god, each one making him angrier. “Stop turning the other fucking cheek! _Fight me_!”

Loki’s arm snapped out, grabbing Clint’s wrists and pinning them together, his inhuman strength easily overcoming Clint’s, no matter how hard he struggled. “Beating me won’t change the truth.” He flung Clint back a few steps, until Clint grabbed the table for support, and tossed a fancy-looking blade on the surface beside Clint’s hand. “Neither will this.”

“What is that?” Clint asked through a fog of fury.

“An enchanted _seax_ ,” Loki answered. “One of my own making. It should prove fatal even to–” Before he could finish, Clint scooped up the offered knife and threw it with perfect aim at Loki’s throat. It shattered as it hit his skin.

“You _liar_!” Clint screamed, storming out. Loki just sighed and picked up the shattered pieces.

Natasha crept out from behind the table and joined him. “Did you do that just to mock him?”

“No.” Loki handed her an identical blade. “But I’m not suicidal, despite occasional appearances to the contrary. A death blow, even in the height of irrational fury, cannot be taken back. Give this to him once he’s calmed down.”

Natasha nodded, eyeing the blade and testing its balance with an air of approval. Loki smiled. “Oh, and one more thing.” Natasha looked up. “That is for Clint and Clint alone. If I don’t see it at his hip by tomorrow, I will inquire about its whereabouts until I am satisfied.”

“Understood,” Natasha said calmly, as if Loki hadn’t just threatened to torture her if she didn’t do as he wanted. “Out of curiosity, could this kill Thor?”

Loki’s lips twisted into a pained smile. “No. It’s not enchanted against Asgardians. Just against Jötnar.”

“Would he recognize that?”

“Possibly. One of his kennings is ‘Slayer of Giants’, but he’s never been interested in the intricacies of _seiðr_. He might notice it’s enchanted, and what it’s enchanted against, but I doubt he’d understand the nuance of how or why, or what it would mean.”

Natasha flipped the knife and it disappeared somewhere on her person. “You sound rather unimpressed.”

“I am,” Loki said. “As much as I may love Thor, his wilful ignorance is draining.”

“And now you have all sorts of new friends who are, not only intelligent, but curious as well. That must be nice.”

Loki nodded as he started clearing the plates and mugs. “It is. It makes me rather wonder what Thor sees in them, but I’m sure there is enough mindless fighting to keep him entertained.”

“Hey. I like some mindless fighting under the right circumstances too, you know,” Natasha scolded. Loki inclined his head. “But it _is_ nice to have someone around who thinks things through in charge for once.”

“Thank you, Natalia.”

“ _Natasha_.”

“Of course.”

She was true to her word and, the next morning, Clint had the dagger sheathed on his hip. He wouldn’t talk to or look at Loki for the next few days, but when the time came for the next meeting, he was there, without his own coffee.

And without Natasha.

She stood beside Thor and watched as Loki and Clint disappeared into the small meeting room. “And that’s all of them.”

“I beg your pardon, Lady Natasha?”

Natasha smiled. “He’s got us all now. Wrapped around his little finger.” Thor frowned. “Oh, I’m not complaining. As long as he keeps delivering, I’m all for him. Just thought you should know.” She clasped Thor’s shoulder before walking away. “You don’t have to protect him anymore. He’s handled everything perfectly well by himself.”

Thor’s frown deepened. Somehow, at some point, Loki had changed from the quiet, bookish _seiðmaðr_ in Thor’s shadow to the quiet, steady hand that guided and steered with the deft ease of a practiced leader. And, fortunately, Loki had proven himself dedicated towards the Avengers’ best interests. As long as that was the case, Thor could accept his new role in relation to his brother. As long as Loki’s impulses didn’t change back towards mischief or, at the very worst, evil.

Thor never once considered that the opposite might happen, that the Avengers might turn out to have issues dedicating themselves to their own best interests. And he couldn’t predict what Loki might do then.

Until it happened.

They were fighting over Italy; Thor, Iron Man, and Loki; under the direction of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent code named ‘Scorpion’, and having a great time. Or at least Thor was. Their target was a group of A.I.M. terrorists and Thor was enjoying himself thoroughly, batting them about with Mjölnir, injuring their puny flying vessels just enough for easy capture and calling out playful taunts. Loki, sounding exasperated, told him to calm down and just get the job done. Tony, just as amused with Thor’s antics as Thor, defended him, egging him on to more grandiose gestures of arrogant control and carefully restrained power, clearly demonstrating that, if Thor had wanted to, he could have killed his A.I.M. foes at his whim.

“Thor, you’re being cruel,” Loki sighed. “I’d have thought you would have grown out of this after your trials as a mortal.”

“It’s just a little fun,” Tony protested. “Thor, hit ‘em again with the lightning.” As the aircraft wasn’t grounded, the lightning was little more than a frightening light show, impressive from the outside, affecting nothing internally.

Thor obediently tossed another lightning bolt and followed it up with Mjölnir, clipping one of the remaining engines. “Truly, they are no great challenge, brother, and entertainment must be won _somehow_.”

“It’s not about entertainment,” Loki lectured, rather like a wet blanket, when he was interrupted.

“Avengers, disengage.”

“What?” The three Avengers’ voices rang out together. Loki continued alone. “On what grounds?”

“They’ve left Serbian airspace,” Scorpion answered. “The government of Latveria is not open to any interference from any outside organization, including S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers. Turn back now.”

Thor looked to Loki for directions as Iron Man turned back, strangely obedient. “Don’t worry, guys. Doom’ll probably take care of ‘em anyway. He pretty much hates everyone equally.”

Loki looked less certain. “We have made enemies of them, mocked them. If we were victorious, that would be one thing, but to leave such ire-filled enemies free…”

“That wasn’t a suggestion, Loki. Your orders are to get back to S.H.I.E.L.D. base now and debrief, understood?” Scorpion demanded.

“Brother,” Thor said, gently. “There will be other battles.” This hadn’t been a glorious one to begin with, and it wasn’t even really a loss.

Loki sighed again, resigned, and turned back. “That’s not exactly the point, Thor.”

Resentments festered, as Loki well knew, and the easiest outlets weren’t always directly through those who had caused the resentment in the first place.

Often, it was directed at those more defenceless.

They had just arrived back in New York, with Tony immediately ducking into his private rooms to hide from Pepper, when from the television in the other room came a name neither Loki nor Thor had expected to hear in this part of the world. They exchanged a look and moved into the room, watching from behind Steve and Bruce who were seated on either sides of the couch, staring intently at the screen.

“–umerous casualties, with close to a hundred dead and ten times that missing or hospitalized. The local hospital in Eskilstuna is overwhelmed, and the more grievously injured are now being sent to Stockholm. There is no clear reason why the town of Torshälla was targeted, but–”

“This is our fault,” Loki breathed in horror as video of fires and dead bodies flashed across the screen. “We did this.”

As good as it would have been to hear Loki taking even _partial_ responsibility for anything even just a few years ago, his decision to shoulder this blame was mystifying to Thor. “How so? We were not even there.”

“Torshälla, Thor. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten it.”

It had been one of the main sites of sacrifice for the Vikings back in the day, specifically dedicated to, and named after, Thor. In his youth, when they’d visited Midgard as gods and not as aliens, Thor had spent many seasons there, trolling the rapids and hunting with his friends. The town had changed, modernized, and was now unrecognizable as it was on fire, but Thor hadn’t forgotten it.

“I still cannot see how the fault for this falls on us.”

“…so far, the perpetrators of this unthinkable massacre, the terrorist group known as ‘Advanced Idea Mechanics’, or A.I.M., have not made any demands or ultimatums. While not known for wanton destruction, their actions today speak of little else. We’re still waiting for any information on their motivation, and we’ll report on it the moment we get any. Back to you, Chuck.”

Loki turned to Thor. “They did this because we let them go. Because they wanted to hurt you and mock you in return for what you did.”

Thor bristled. “Are you saying I should not have engaged them as I did for fear they would target a town I haven’t seen for centuries?”

“No, Thor,” Loki said, coldly. “I’m saying we should never have let them go.”

“But we were ordered…”

Loki nodded. “We were. By an organization whose political aspirations allowed a mission to fall into chaos and ruin, and led to the murder of innocents. Because they didn’t want to encroach on the borders of a land where they were not wanted. But we, the Avengers, and particularly you and I, Thor, have none of that political weight around our necks. We should not be hobbled by S.H.I.E.L.D.’s.”

“They are our allies.”

“If that were true, we would not be beholden to their political disputes. They have stopped being our allies and have become our puppet masters.”

Thor frowned. “Loki, I grieve for those dead as much as you do, and I will seek justice for them, but you can’t be saying what I think you are.”

“I’m afraid I am, Thor. If we cannot work within S.H.I.E.L.D.’s purview, then we must work without it.” Loki took one last look at the television set, where Chuck was throwing it over to sports, before turning away. “As these mortals say, it is better to cut off your hand if it offends than to allow it to weaken your whole body. If S.H.I.E.L.D. has become a weakness, then we must cut them off.”

“Brother, they are our friends. They have stood by us…”

Loki shook his head. “The Avengers are our friends, Thor, and our comrades-in-arms. S.H.I.E.L.D. is merely the medium through which we met.” He carefully avoided the details on _how_. “You needn’t worry; I will not abandon my shield-brothers.”

He smiled, and it was the cold, wicked smile of the upset, hurt Loki of their youth. “I’m taking the Avengers with me when I leave S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Thor flinched back from Loki’s brittle expression. The last time he’d seen it, Loki had run off to the _svartálfar_ , bartering with Ivaldi to make up for chopping off Sif’s hair. That had not ended well, with Loki’s lips sewn through, the result of rash words and an even rasher bet. Loki had a natural tendency to take a bad situation and make it worse. It seemed, however, that had had learned something from that experience, at least to the point where his words were more careful and thoughtful, if no less poisonous.

Which put his vow to separate the Avengers from S.H.I.E.L.D. in a rather different light. Loki may have been the god of mischief and lies but, ironically enough, he could always be counted on to keep his promises, to the letter if not to the spirit.

He meant every word he said. And he _would_ follow through.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _They've got what they want, they think so anyway. If he's what they want, why take their toy away?_  
>  _Put yourself in my place. I can hardly step aside. Cannot let my hands be tied, I am law and order._  
>  \- _Jesus Christ Superstar_.

Convincing the Avengers was, at once, easier and harder than either Loki or Thor expected.

Loki started with Tony, since he’d actually been there.

“Hey, I’ve never been S.H.I.E.L.D.’s biggest fan, but it’s not their fault that Doom won’t let anyone into his airspace and has the tech to enforce it.”

“This isn’t about blame, Anthony, but about results. If S.H.I.E.L.D. has limitations then we seem to have two choices – to allow those limitations to control what we can or cannot do, or to strike out on our own, free from those limitations.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, you could say that about any of us. Natasha’s made her fair share of enemies, as have I, and Bruce is _persona non grata_ in more countries than the rest of us put together. Even Steve’s particular brand of in-your-face patriotism makes him unpopular in some places. A lot of places. America’s on a lot of shit-lists right now.”

“But would any of your personal issues have stopped the rest of the team?” Loki, ever the strategist (and ignoring the inexplicable Midgardian politics) asked. “Would your limitations affect me or Thor?”

“No, but… Look, S.H.I.E.L.D. brings in its share of perks as well. We would never have been as well received if we hadn’t been associated with them – especially Bruce. And you’d have _never_ been allowed back in the country if they hadn’t vouched for you.”

Thor made an angry noise, still reflexively defensive when anyone questioned Loki’s legitimacy. Loki placed a restraining hand on his arm.

“I’m grateful to them for all of that but, not to sound callous, what have they done for us lately? The Avengers have made their own name and their own reputation now, what need have we for S.H.I.E.L.D.?” Loki asked, carefully switching from ‘their’ to ‘we’.

Tony looked hard at Thor, and then at Loki. Clearly the subtle phrasing hadn’t gone unnoticed. “You don’t just toss people aside because they’re not useful to you anymore.”

“Whyever not?”

Tony didn’t answer, but he looked troubled, conflicted. Thor could relate to that.

Natasha confronted Loki next, that very same day, somehow already fully aware of the situation. “Give me one good reason not to go to Director Fury,” she demanded, cornering Loki when the rest of the Avengers were out or training, including Thor.

Loki seemed as at ease with her sudden questioning, smiling his usual benign smile. “The same reason you’re talking to me now and not him,” he said. “You know that I’m right. Or at least that I have a decent point.”

“You couldn’t even talk Stark into it and he’s only grudgingly with S.H.I.E.L.D. to begin with. How do you think you’d possibly convince any of the others?”

Loki laughed. “ _None_ of you are with S.H.I.E.L.D. as your first choice. Bruce had to be bullied into coming in by one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s more cunning and persuasive agents, Steven predates the founding of the organization itself and almost all of the members, and believes in honour and transparency, two things toxic to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s very nature. Thor, for his part, made a stupid promise at a tense time, and you and Barton joined only because it was better than the alternative, which has been, on occasion, death. Anthony’s objections have merely been the loudest, not the most valid.”

“Then you know we’ve each considered this before, and we’re still here, with S.H.I.E.L.D. What makes you think that anything’s changed just because you want to leave?”

“There’s a difference between settling for the status quo because it’s easy and allowing yourself to get stuck in a damaging relationship through inertia. If you were to truly and honestly re-evaluate your position with S.H.I.E.L.D., versus your position with the Avengers, which would you choose?”

Natasha made a sour face. “I’m not going straight to Fury, Loki. But, if you know what’s good for you, you will. Sneaking around behind his back like this looks really bad.”

Loki nodded, taking her advice seriously, even if he didn’t plan to act on it. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“It’s not an interrogation. That’s my prerogative.” Natasha shook her finger at Loki, as if chastising a child. “Go to S.H.I.E.L.D. Bring your issues to them. Or I will, eventually.”

But she didn’t, at least not right away. She went to Clint.

“Hey, boss.”

Loki looked up wryly from the debriefing memos a few of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s other teams had written up, looking for patterns that would indicate a puppet master behind apparently random events. “Don’t call me that.”

“Sorry but, as you’re not actually my boss, you don’t get to give me orders like that.”

Loki leaned back as Clint slid into the chair beside him. “I have dozens of kennings for you to choose from, Barton. Slivertongue, Liesmith, Skywalker…”

“I’m not calling you Skywalker, man.”

“Pity. I rather like that one.”

“Aaanyhow, Nat told me about your brilliant plan to break away from S.H.I.E.L.D. and walk your own path and be your own man and everything. And how you’re sneaking around behind Fury’s back to do it.”

Loki just looked at him mildly. “If your bullet had landed just an inch to the side, that would hardly be a problem.”

“Don’t be an ass,” Clint said, scowling at the reminder of his first action under the Tesseract’s control. “I’m trying to tell you that I’m on your side.”

That caught Loki’s attention. “Are you certain?”

“Yeah. I’ve been around you long enough to know when you’re spouting bullshit and when you really believe what you’re saying. It doesn’t make you right, but it makes you genuine. And, let’s face it, if Cap or Bruce was the one with the moral objections we’d have rallied around them without any question. Just ‘cause it’s you pointing it out doesn’t make the situation any less crappy.”

Loki considered Clint’s words with a gravity he rarely showed. “Then you are not allying yourself with _me_ , per se, but rather agreeing with my evaluation and reacting accordingly?”

Clint shrugged. “Sure. If you want to think about it that way. Besides, Natasha thinks you’re sneaking around, but I know what it looks like when you’re actually trying to be subtle. You end up fighting to lose and trapped in one of the few cages that can hold you, in the heart of your enemies’ base.” Clint snorted. “You’re being outright blatant about this.”

Loki smiled, sudden and brilliant. “Thank you for this gift, Clint Barton.”

“What? I…” Loki leaned over and pressed his lips gently on Clint’s forehead. “H-hey, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I’m not doing this for you.” Loki chuckled lightly and stood up to leave. “I’m not! You just happen to have a point this time! Get back here, you manipulative little…”

Clint continued on for some time in this vein, the volume of his voice increasing as his grin widened. He could still feel the cool, dry press of Loki’s lips against his skin, the impulsive move of gratitude and affection. There had been a time when Clint had worked for a piece of that. The fact that Loki’s kiss embarrassed him as much as it pleased him was a relief.

That was how he, as himself, should have felt about it.

He knew Natasha was vacillating as well, torn between her loyalty to S.H.I.E.L.D. and the fact that she couldn’t disagree with Loki’s position. She’d probably come around soon enough, and between her and Clint, even if any of the other Avengers didn’t follow Loki at least S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn’t have a ready-made spy to use against him. Steve was far too unsubtle, and Bruce and Tony would sooner bite off their tongues than tattle on a friend to Fury. Loki had about half the Avengers already, the more dangerous half, even if he didn’t actually know it for sure.

After that, Steve and Bruce were simple, although neither one of them committed outright.

“We can’t save everyone,” Steve said sadly, the words sounding almost painful for him to say. “All we can do is what we can, and try to clean up after what we can’t.”

It was disheartening, hearing such practicality from an idealist. No, not practicality. Resignation.

“Are you satisfied with that?” Loki asked softly. “Is that why you’re with us? To do only what you can?”

Steve’s eyes flashed with pain. “Loki, I… This isn’t what I signed up for. This _world_ isn’t what I signed up for. But I don’t think anyone gets exactly what they were expecting.”

“Then make the world into what you signed up for, Steven. Take this imperfect, only partially effective, situation and change it. Give yourself the permission, the _freedom_ , to do absolutely everything you can, so there are fewer failures to clean up after. You were given the gift, the power, to make that happen.”

“It’s not that simple. It’s never been that simple, no matter how nostalgic I might trick myself into being,” Steve said. “I’m sorry, Loki, I can’t give you an answer now. I’m going to have to think about this. You’re not wrong, but maybe there’s a way we can compromise rather than breaking off ties with our mother organization.” Loki flinched at the mention of ‘breaking ties’ and ‘mother’ so close together, clearly still nursing some regrets for the way his past actions had affected his dearest relationships. Only Thor noticed, and he was diplomatic enough to let it go as Loki agreed to give Steve whatever time he needed.

Bruce was even easier going, probably because everyone had already told him what to expect. “Was this your idea, or Thor’s?”

Both Loki and Thor looked at him in silent confusion. Loki, to no one’s surprise, was the first to recover. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, except for Natasha and Clint, who found you on your own, you’ve both been going around to everyone together, like proselytizing Mormons.” At the pair of blank looks he got for that reference, Bruce decided to let that go. “I know Loki’s done most of the talking, but I’m just curious as to who’s actually leading this exodus.”

Loki looked at Thor, an unspoken question in his eyes. Then he looked away, dropping his gaze and letting Thor take the lead.

This was new. Not that Loki had never stood aside for Thor in the past, but that he would do so willingly and without Thor pushing him aside and taking over. Loki wasn’t one to back down from taking credit for his own glories, and Thor generally had no interest in taking them from him, but there were battles they had fought together, victories won at each other’s sides, where Loki’s glories made everyone involved look foolish or weak. Times when he’d saved a warrior through spellcraft, or tricked a scouting party into giving false information, or snuck Thor and himself into an enemy’s home under the guise of women. Thor would often omit those actions in his stories, and Loki’s contribution would be overlooked.

It was something that now shamed Thor, looking back on it. And it was upsetting to see Loki offering Thor the opportunity, once again, to take credit for being the leader, the one behind Loki’s actions. It would have been unfair for Thor to do so, not that he wanted to as he wasn’t entirely sure he agreed with Loki, but it was just as unfair for Loki to assume that he would even if he wanted to. Thor was not that person any more. And this wasn’t Asgard, there was no shame in using intelligence and guile to achieve victory. And there was no shame in mourning the loss of innocents, or working towards fixing the perceived errors that had led to that loss.

In short, in Midgard, there was no shame in being Loki.

“This is all Loki’s idea,” Thor said firmly. “My brother was grieved by the loss of life in Torshälla and decided this would be the best path to prevent further such incidences.”

Bruce nodded as if he’d expected that. “And what do _you_ think?”

Thor hadn’t actually told anyone that. To be fair, no one had asked; since Loki’s arrival, Thor had backed him up with everything he had, and seeing him at Loki’s side as Loki advocated for leaving S.H.I.E.L.D. was as good as an endorsement.

But it wasn’t, actually, despite the silence that Thor had hidden behind as he worked out his own issues. There were many things he was unsure of, and only a few that were certain. Thor hid behind those as well. “I believe that Loki is genuine in his desire to widen the net of our protection as far as it can go, and sincere in his desire to do so with as many of the Avengers as possible.”

“And leaving S.H.I.E.L.D.?”

Thor very carefully avoided Loki’s eyes. “I… do not think that is necessarily… necessary.”

“I see,” Bruce said calmly, looking between the two of them. “Maybe you should talk this out a bit, then.”

“Indeed,” Loki agreed. “Thank you very much, Bruce.”

Thor was expecting a fight, or at least that thing Loki did when he was angry and he talked really softly and left Thor feeling confused and nauseous. Instead, Loki led Thor to his bedroom and sat down beside him on his bed.

“I’m sorry.”

Thor had been rehearsing rationalizations and reasonings, ways of explaining why he’d said what he said, what he really meant, how he really felt. Loki’s soft words stopped him before he could get any of that out.

“What for?” Thor asked.

“I never really asked how you felt about all this. I just dragged you around behind me as if I was… _entitled_ to your support. That was unfair. Just because you have been so generous with it in the past, that hardly means I should continue to expect it in the future.” Loki looked conflicted and upset, an oddly genuine expression that suited his face ill. “However, I truly thought you felt the same way I did about this. That you wanted to prevent as well as avenge the deaths of innocent bystanders. I never… how _do_ you feel, Thor?”

Looking into his brother’s sincere green eyes, Thor found himself unable to lie. Perhaps that was a power Loki weakened as well as embodied. “I cannot turn my back so quickly on my allies and, yes, _friends_ as you can, Loki. You see only the dark side of people – the way Sif and the Warriors Three betrayed you when you took the throne, the way Heimdall broke his oaths to you in aiding them. You do not see the love and concern with which they took those actions, as Father was unable to see the contents of your heart when you…” Loki’s open expression slammed shut, his face turning into the blank mask that hurt Thor’s heart more than any angry snarl would have. “…in any case, I fully agree with the Captain of America. While the situation was tragic, there needs to be a _measured_ response, and I do not think that it needs to be as extreme as you think.”

Loki huffed. “The Thunderer speaks of moderation.” Thor elbowed him in the side and Loki nudged him back, his expression warming from the iciness of apathy to a fond affection. “I can’t say it’s as much of a surprise as it would have been mere years ago. You _have_ changed.”

“I have. If nothing else, I’ve learned that temperance and patience often reap greater rewards than acting in the heat of emotion.”

“Oh, Thor.” Loki laughed. “I’m not acting in the heat of anything. If I had been, S.H.I.E.L.D. would no longer be standing and any discussion of alliance would be moot.” He smiled warmly. “This _is_ my measured, tempered solution. Despite the fact that they have hindered us, indirectly leading to the death of those descended from men who worshiped you and adored you, I have not once called for S.H.I.E.L.D.’s destruction.” His smile hardened. “That, I shall save for A.I.M.”

“Would you be as upset if they had gone after a random target, rather than one clearly intended to hurt me?”

Loki shrugged. “Perhaps not.” He placed his hand on Thor’s arm, a comforting gesture. “But I place very little of the blame on you or Anthony or myself. Had we the opportunity we would have pursued them, happily risking such paltry costs as a single mortal’s ire against victory against our foes. The primary fault, of course, lies with those who perpetrated such senselessly violent acts, but the secondary fault lies firmly with the false promises and political manoeuvrings of those who consider our ties to be a leash. I… _we_ have lowered ourselves to work with mortals, for which I have no complaint. This is their world, we merely share it as visitors and protectors. But to work _under_ them, as their tools…”

“Is this about your pride, then?”

“Oh, no.” Loki’s expression held the old glimmer of malicious humour that Thor remembered. “Not any more. This is about _justice_ and _freedom_ and protecting the vulnerable. And, in the end, that is what will convince the others.” Thor looked uncertain, and Loki winked brightly, full of self-assurance and confidence. “I have no need of manipulation and half-truths and lies. I am on the side of the righteous, Thor, and that is what every single _hero_ craves. The fact that the freedom I advocate will salvage what little pride I have left is merely a happy coincidence.”

Thor wasn’t convinced. And he still wasn’t sure that, even with all of Loki’s self-righteousness, his brother’s path was the right one. But he had been the one who’d brought Loki here and he was therefore at least partially responsible for his actions. “I understand that you feel this is necessary. And I will not work against you without discussing it further with you. But I cannot wholeheartedly support you in this, Loki.”

“Not yet,” Loki corrected, with a small, confident smile. “Think it over, Thor, as Steven most likely is. Find that compromise you want so desperately. And, when you can’t, when you realize that _this_ is the compromise, I will be more than happy to welcome you back at my side.”

Thor stood, too uncertain to argue back, and too uncomfortable to stay after that dismissal. “I shall, brother. Thank you for your patience.” Loki’s smile looked oddly like a sneer as he watched Thor leave.

He stayed away from Loki over the next few days, musing over his brother’s words and his own feelings on the matter. He didn’t come to any conclusion, no matter how hard he pondered the issues, but he did find his way to the one person whose wisdom he’d always trusted, once she returned from an international convention of string-something and particle-whatsits.

“I don’t know, Thor. He basically came out and said he was using this as an excuse. I mean, what happened was truly tragic, but I wouldn’t just trust him because something horrible happened and he recognized it as horrible,” Jane said. “I know it’s been a few years, but he’s still the same guy who tried to kill you because you didn’t hide well enough and still had friends.”

Thor shifted awkwardly. He didn’t like being reminded of that time Loki… well, killed him. “He has explained all that, Jane. The blow was never intended to be fatal, and he knew that my companions from Asgard would have healing runes. His goal was to keep Sif and the Warriors Three occupied, nothing more, while he…” _destroyed an entire planet, an entire race of people, his own blood_. Defending Loki’s actions and motivations was rarely easy.

Jane’s eyes flashed, even without hearing Thor’s unspoken addiction. “That’s easy to say now, but I can still remember how it felt, watching you fall, knowing that you’d never get back up–” Her voice broke. “Thor, I know he’s your brother, and I know you love him, but he’s _dangerous_. He’s already shown that there’s nothing he won’t do if he’s pushed far enough.”

“I’d thought you two had reconciled,” Thor said sadly. Between Jane’s love of answers and Loki’s love of demonstrating how much smarter he was than everyone else, they had seemingly connected over various aspects of science and magic, such as the Bifröst and Loki’s own singular method of world-walking.

“That’s not the _point_ ,” Jane said impatiently. “I like him well enough, you know that, I just don’t _trust_ him. And neither should you, after all he’s done.” She leaned up on her tip toes and pressed a kiss to Thor’s cheek. “Just go to Fury and tell him what you know, ask his advice and offer your own. If Loki’s up to something, at least that’d give the director the chance to fight back. Besides, he probably already knows what Loki’s planning.”

Fury did, in fact, know. What he was less sure of was what to do about it.

“As I see it, sir, there are three main options. Make a move against Loki’s plans, make a move against Loki personally, or watch and wait to see what the Avengers do.”

“Recommendations, Hill?”

Hill shrugged. “This isn’t anything new. The Avengers aren’t military, apart from Rogers; or Agents, apart from Romanoff and Barton. There’s always been some friction between us and them, even with those three, given our priorities and ultimate missions. It’s hard to let something horrible happen to prevent something worse, and even harder to watch as it happens knowing you could prevent it. But that’s our job as often as prevention is. None of the Avengers have really ever understood that, and Barton has proven time and time again that risk mitigation the one thing he can’t handle, especially when it gets personal.”

“And Rogers has never been able to tolerate anything even close to that,” Fury agreed. “But this is different. This is the first time any of them have pointed to something while a part of S.H.I.E.L.D. and said ‘ _this_ is why we have to leave.’ This is the first time the excuse looks more like a reason. Even Stark hasn’t had any issues since joining. Well. Nothing significant or unexpected, at least.”

“No, but even he hasn’t jumped onto Loki’s plan immediately. He’s got some sense of loyalty,” Hill said, smirking slightly. “What bothers me is that Romanoff and Rogers haven’t been outright against it, and Barton’s going along with it. Are we sure that mind control wore off completely?”

Fury shrugged. “As far as we, and a couple of Asgardian goddesses of magic loaned to us expressly for the purpose of checking him over, can tell, yeah. That’s Barton.”

“Then Loki’s got one. If we let them know that we know, give them the opportunity for one of their incredibly mature hissy fits, that should diffuse the situation, shouldn’t it?”

“Then we have the problem of letting Stark know we bugged his tower,” Fury pointed out. “And that’s still not good enough. Loki’s the goddamn god of lies and mischief. You really think this’ll be the last time he tries to pull something like this? And every time he does, it weakens our position.” He shook his head. “No, he’s been useful enough, but I want him gone, away from my team. He’s more trouble than he’s worth.”

Hill snorted. “I think that’s why Asgard sent him to us in the first place.”

“Maybe. Doesn’t mean we have to take it lying down.” Fury nodded decisively. “He needs to go.”

“You’ll never convince the Avengers of that. You’ll probably have more luck with the World Security Council. But they’re status-quo-loving sticks in the mud. Subtlety won’t work on them; you’ll need to come out and frighten them.”

Fury smiled. It didn’t look nice.

“I can do that.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Every word you say today gets twisted ‘round some other way_  
>  _And they’ll hurt you if they think you’ve lied_  
>  \- _Jesus Christ Superstar._

It took the better part of a week, but one by one the Avengers came to Loki’s side. Thor remained there, close by his brother, but his uncertainties and Jane’s words worried him. As the others grew closer to Loki, gathering around him like moths to a flame, Thor found himself drifting further away; there, but not precisely present.

Loki was charming, as he occasionally had managed to be in Asgard, where he’d seduced woman after woman, until he’d become bored of it.

He wasn’t seducing anyone this time. Indeed, when Tony’s jokes turned suggestive, Loki responded with dry rebuttals rather than toying with him. What should have cooled Tony’s ardour only made him burn hotter, in a somewhat different direction.

“Everyone needs to see you, hear you,” Tony insisted. “PR is half the battle, especially with semi-secret organizations, and you need to get your story out before they do. This calls… for a _press conference_.”

Steve coughed, possibly to try to hide his laughter. “Maybe we should stage a rehearsal or three before we send Loki out there. The press isn’t as… gentle as I remember.”

“I’ve seen reels of your press junkets. They were never gentle,” Tony said, grandiosely unconcerned. “But we’ve got the silvertongued wordsmith from Asgard, the literal _god_ of manipulation going up against them. It’ll be fine.” He waved his hands and images appeared in the air, lists of names and broadcasting companies. _Many_ names. “Ah, forget this. JARVIS, get Pepper to call up the news stations we’ve pissed off the least and arrange something. As long as giant feral bunnies aren’t invading from Canada, we’ll arrange our schedule with hers.”

“Giant feral bunnies?” Clint asked. “Know something we don’t?”

“ _Ms. Potts would like to inform you that lack of guidance doesn’t actually make her job easier, sir._ ”

Tony laughed. “It’s just ‘cause I trust her.” He turned to Loki with a mock-strict frown. “Which reminds me. None of that ‘freeing you from freedom’ crap. Steve’s right; we’re going to have to practice you for a bit before you go out there.”

Loki smiled. “I eagerly await your advice, Anthony, given your mastery of this nation’s media.” If there was a soft vein of mockery under Loki’s words, everyone was so used to it by now that it went past unnoticed.

“You’ve got to pick your moments,” Tony said, warming to the idea of training Loki. “It’s not just what you say, it’s how and when you say it.”

“Do go on,” Loki invited, now far more overtly sarcastic, but still smiling.

Tony snorted. “Fine, okay, you know all that. But you don’t know the nuances of our public perception. There needs to be a bad guy in every break up, but it doesn’t have to be either of the parties breaking up.” Loki, for the first time, looked genuinely interested. “So talk about how great S.H.I.E.L.D. is, how much of an honour it’s been fighting with them, but make a clear and obvious bad guy. Doom. Make _him_ the bad guy, it’s his fault you couldn’t go after those guys, and he’s forcing your hand regarding S.H.I.E.L.D. As long as we’re heroes, which should be at least until the end of the week, we still have our fanboys and fangirls. Latest stats indicate an active fanbase of about fifty thousand, and that’s conservative. Keep them in the palm of your hand, yelling their devotion, but add a touch of… of _hate_ at Doom, and we should be home free.”

Loki’s expression had gone from intrigued to outright irritated. “I see. And if this had been a few years ago, would it have been _my_ name you might have tried dragging though the dirt for your own benefit?”

Clint stifled a laugh. “Tried? Dude, we _did_. New York was trashed and you weren’t even on the planet anymore. We blamed every single thing on you, even the destruction of the S.H.I.E.L.D. base and whatever mess the Hulk made.”

“To be fair,” Bruce added, “as far as we knew, it _was_ ultimately your fault.”

“We’re very sorry,” Natasha assured him, not sounding sorry at all. At her dry comment, Loki’s offended façade cracked and he shook his head fondly.

“You mortals and your petty games. Hiding behind those with power while refusing any responsibility of your own.” He sighed. “Truly, you have no understanding of what power is, of how to achieve glory.”

Thor shifted uncomfortably. He’d had the same thought more than once, that these fragile Midgardians placed far too much weight on the immediate and personal, and not nearly enough on grand ideals and the betterment of their whole world, no matter how proudly they clung to the moniker of ‘heroes’. But, then again, Thor’s great ambition had almost started a war with a race his people had already beaten into near submission, and Loki’s long game had nearly destroyed them altogether. Perhaps minding the details and frantically working to make today and tomorrow better wasn’t such a small-minded flaw as he and Loki thought.

Loki wasn’t finished yet. “If you knew the things that I knew, my friends and allies, you would see the greater picture. You have, I think, seen glimpses of it, of how small and unimportant you are to the universe at large, how there are powers out there inconceivable to you. And, to your credit, you face them bravely, embracing the risk of death as ardently as most Asgardian warriors. But still you preserve your petty quarrels amongst your fellow humans, burning bridges and drawing up lines of ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’ when really it’s all a matter of perspective.”

“That’s kind of…” Steve trailed off as Loki shot him a glare.

“If nothing else, I would have hoped that our alliance would have taught you temperance. An enemy today may be your best hope of salvation tomorrow. I will not create enmity where there is no need, nor will I baulk at taking responsibility for following orders I knew were flawed.” He stood. “Set up your press conference, Anthony. I will attend, and I will ensure the good will of the people. But I will not turn them against anyone as the price for that good will.”

As he stalked out, the exit just as grand and dramatic as usual, Tony turned to Natasha. “Think he and Doom have a… thing?”

“No,” Natasha said without hesitation. “If they did, he wouldn’t have been so obvious about it. I think he meant just what he said.”

“Then he’s an arrogant ass,” Tony said simply and everyone grunted in agreement. “Good thing that plays well with the slavering masses.”

“You would know,” Clint said cheerfully, clasping Steve on the shoulder. “Don’t look so glum, Cap. Relativistic morality and chaotic neutral is where Loki lives. He probably wasn’t thinking about the Nazis and Hitler and whatever.”

Steve shot him a withering glare that, oddly enough, made him look more like a pathetic puppy than an angry commander. He just didn’t have the face to glare properly. “I’ve been here longer than he has, Clint. I’m not all about the second world war, you know.” 

“You kind of are. Just like Thor’s still all about honour and Loki still can’t call you ‘Steve’ and still calls Tony ‘Anthony’ all the time.”

Steve looked like he wanted to argue, but changed his mind. “It’s just that what he said could have been used as a justification for staying out of the war in Europe for so long. If we’d gotten into it sooner, maybe it would have ended better.” He looked haunted, the same hollow look he’d had when Tony had first shown him footage of Hiroshima. “Cleaner.”

Thor had seen the footage as well, and it harkened far too strongly to Loki’s decision to use the Bifröst against Jötunheim, regardless of the loss of innocents. Indeed, Loki had watched as well, and declared it a brilliant tactical move, proving America’s technological superiority and willingness to use that technology, thus likely saving lives on both sides with a quicker resolution. Steve had avoided him for weeks after that, his moral dilemmas retriggered by Loki’s overt appreciation of Truman’s strategy. Thor sympathized – there was a difference between winning war through strength of arms or even strength of mind, rather than through mindless, thoughtless destruction. It was a sour note to end a great battle between fierce nations, fought hard and ardently on both sides. The tale of the European victory was a far better one, in Thor’s opinion. It harkened to his father’s victory over the Jötnar, through sheer strength of numbers and valour.

It made sense that Steve would be sensitive to any suggestion that echoed those who advocated against honourable battle, as many Americans had, arguing that there was no need to make judgements on other nations, no matter how evil their actions seemed. There was moral relativity, and then there were slavery, death camps, genocide, systematic eradication of races based on their perceived value, or lack thereof. Areas where Loki’s ‘chaotic neutral’ edged into outright evil, despite the fact that he claimed to regret his actions in hindsight.

The other Avengers however, despite Steve’s discomfort, seemed far less unnerved by Loki’s stance.

“It’s good to see Loki willing to take responsibility,” Bruce said. “It’s a nice change from him being overly defensive and then overly cautious not to do anything he might have to apologize for.”

“Maybe that’s why he was so cautious,” Natasha suggested. “He hates apologizing and now he’s at a place where he feels he has to.”

“He apologized to me,” Clint said. “After the…” he vaguely waved his hands in the air, “thing with the knife and everything.” Natasha, the only one who’d been present at that time, nodded. “He said he knew what it felt like to be used and unvalued, and he said he was sorry and that he’d always valued my skills.” Clint’s smile took on a wry edge. “As if that was supposed to make anything better.”

Tony snorted. “Yeah, finding out that you’re a _useful_ tool is so much more comforting than being a disappointing tool.” Natasha jerked her head in a sharp nod, and Bruce and Steve shared a look, then looked away.

The bitterness in the room was almost palpable. Thor, who had never felt used or underappreciated, felt it would be for the best if he just left.

He didn’t seek Loki out but, as wasn’t uncommon, his feet led him to his brother’s side, where Loki was conversing with Pepper over the planning of his media event.

“Thor.” Loki’s lips smiled, but didn’t quite reach his eyes. “With impressive efficiency, arrangements have been made for the press conference next Saturday. I trust you’ll be there?”

It was an olive branch, an offer of reconciliation after Loki’s outburst. But more than that, there was a flicker of uncertainty behind Loki’s eyes, gone in an instant but unmistakably there. For the first time, Thor realized that Loki had noticed the way they were moving apart and grieved for it as well.

Thor felt his eyes sting with tears and cursed his sentimentality even as he revelled in it. “Of course, Loki. I would be ever by your side.”

He wasn’t, though. For the sake of appearances, Loki was flanked by Steve (as the nominal leader of the Avengers) and Tony (as the charismatic playboy media darling). Thor was further back, beside Bruce and Natasha, nothing more than stage dressing.

Loki stepped up to the microphone. “Greetings. I am told this should take no more than twenty minutes, so I will attempt to be brief in my introduction. I am Loki of Asgard, a member the Avengers, and a sworn protector of this realm. I am here to convey a simple message and to answer any questions that must, out of necessity, arise from the simplicity of that message.

“Long have the Avengers been allied and linked with the government of this country, through a department known through its acronym as S.H.I.E.L.D.” Loki’s lips curved up slightly. “Google it if you’ve never heard of it before.” His grave expression returned. “Our alliance has been, on the whole, mutually beneficial to both parties, as all good alliances should be. However, the bond has of late grown too strong. The Avengers are not warriors in service to the United States of America alone, although we have members who have strong ties to the country,” Steve nodded his head sharply, acknowledging that, “and to its economy.” Tony smirked. “However, the oaths I swore were not to any one country, but to Midgard; to the Earth herself. My strength and my power serve all her people, and I have never balked from that.

“Until a few weeks ago.” Loki allowed himself a moment of visible grief. “It was not through the action of the Avengers that Torshälla perished in flame and agony, but through our inaction.” He drew himself up. “The restraint of our ties with S.H.I.E.L.D. have no doubt been a comfort to many, given our power. But it is not a restraint that is either useful or practical. It gives only the illusion of safety, rather than the reality. The only guarantee I can give is my word, the word of a warrior and prince of Asgard, that my hand will be raised ever in the protection of this realm, and never against it. _That_ is a far stronger assurance of safety than any oversight or bureaucratic organization could be.” The murmur of reporters, while still indistinct, was almost too loud for Loki to talk over, especially as he refused to raise his voice, patiently waiting for the volume to die down before he continued.

“We are therefore severing all ties to S.H.I.E.L.D. and to any single Earthly government organization. Their treaties are not ours, their allies are not ours, their enemies are not ours. As a default, we recognize all people of this realm as our protectorate, and will act in their best interests. Should any government wish to be exempt from our protection, they may treat with us on an individual basis, but we do not withdraw our protection lightly. Our oaths do not allow it.” He smiled. “Any questions?”

It took nearly five minutes for any single reporter to be heard from the cacophony of questions. Tony stepped up and tried to calm them down, cracking jokes and assuring them that this didn’t count in their twenty minute limit, but it might if they didn’t just _settle down_. Loki, still smiling, pushed the lectern aside and stood in the middle of the stage, feet planted shoulder-length apart, in full dress armour, including his helmet, surveying the crowd. His eyes caught the movement as the rear door to the room opened, before narrowing. All the press who’d been invited were already here and the list of people who had access enough to get through Tony’s security was short enough to leave little doubt of who the intruders could be.

“Calm the fuck down!”

The command echoed in the room, suddenly silent, as Fury walked in flanked by Hill and Coulson. Loki’s smile widened from polite to eager as the Avengers moved to flank him, as if protecting him from an attack.

“Director. How kind of you to drop by.”

Tony wasn’t nearly as pleased. “JARVIS, how the hell did they get in here?”

“ _You never revoked Agent Coulson’s access, sir._ ”

“Phil.” Tony shook his head in mock sadness. “I am disappoint.”

“Never mind that,” Fury interrupted. “What do you think you’re doing, staging something like this?” His eyes locked on Loki’s. “This is neither the time nor the medium to deal with our issues. You’d better make this go away.”

Loki moved out from his protective group. “Why waste your breath, Director? Nothing can be done to stop this, short of mass murder.” He gestured to the reporters, seemingly cowed, but still taking pictures and jotting down notes. “If these brave men and women leave alive, they will tell this tale. No threats are sufficient to stop them all. Besides,” Loki’s smile sharpened, “even if they could be cowed, that is no guarantee of secrecy. If every tongue were stilled, the story would still continue. Blogs, chatrooms, twitter… indeed, the rocks and stones themselves would sing of the Avengers and their parting of ways with S.H.I.E.L.D.”

He turned away, dismissing Fury as if he was nothing. “Ask me your questions, good people, but not of me alone. This is not my tale, but the saga of a new beginning for all of humankind.”

“What do you mean by that?” one particularly courageous reporter asked.

“You have spoken for decades of a world without borders. To us, that is what Earth _is_. Imposed boundaries, political lines drawn on inaccurate maps, territories eked out for no other purpose than the artificial elevation of a few… These are meaningless. As a world, you have been judged and found worthy of our protection, and so you shall receive it. As individuals, there are those who might earn our wrath, for the betterment of the world. But overall, we would guard you against others, against powers you have never seen and have never even imagined. _That_ is our true goal.”

“So you’re saying you’d ally yourselves with the North Koreans?”

“Absolutely,” Loki said before Tony could step on his foot. “If they were in danger from alien or supernatural forces, not unlike myself, we would keep our word and protect them.”

“What about if there was a war between the U.S. and Iran?”

Tony stepped in before Loki could. “International conflicts aren’t our thing. _Terrorism_ , on the other hand, we’re pretty agreed that’s bad.”

Another reporter moved, stepping between Fury and the Avengers with her back to Fury. “Captain America, you wear the stars and stripes. How do you feel about this?”

Steve looked uncomfortable at being in the line of this particular brand of fire. “The world has changed since I started. There are a lot of things that are more complicated, but the idea of leaving innocent people defenceless because of politics isn’t one of them. I’m a simple guy, from a simple time, and if you asked me in 1942 if I’d have saved a German village under alien attack you’d better bet I would have.” He locked eyes with Fury. “There isn’t an allegiance powerful enough to stop me from making that call.”

There were more questions after that, about politics and morality and the risk of leaving superpowered ‘heroes’ on the loose, like vigilantes. Thor was ignored throughout this, as everyone assumed that he felt the same as his brother, as another powerful being from another world. He couldn’t help the way his gaze strayed to the warriors of S.H.I.E.L.D., in their suites and uniforms, the armour of this planet’s warrior caste.

Coulson met his eyes and nodded towards a side room. Thor took one last look at his brother, defending his decision to free the Avengers from their political shackles, and followed.

“Please sit down,” Coulson invited, ignoring the fact that this was Stark towers, where Thor lived, and he was far from the host. “You looked like you wanted to get out of there.”

Thor sat, still uncomfortable. “Deeper meanings and explanations have never been my strengths. Retelling the tale of victory, in that I am able, but Loki outshines me there as well.”

“Yeah. Funny how easy it is for you to admit that, and how hard it is for Loki to admit the things you’re better at than he is. I’ve read some of Loki’s press releases. ‘Doom is a reasonable man’? You brother might be an excellent liar, Thor, but no one’s _that_ good.” Coulson shook his head. “If Loki wanted to, he could slowly but surely take over this entire world, one manipulative speech at a time. But he hasn’t, and S.H.I.E.L.D. thinks we know why: It’s you. For whatever reason – either he’s afraid of your anger, or he’s afraid of losing your respect – he hasn’t taken out his big guns. Do you have any idea why?”

Thor shifted nervously. “You ask me to explain my brother’s reasoning to you? That is like asking a wolf to explain a cat; there is little I understand of him, and what little I do cannot be explained in such a way that you can understand.”

Coulson snorted. “So it’s the fear of losing your respect, then.”

“Possibly. I’m afraid I cannot say with any certainty.”

Coulson sat down across from Thor and looked him in the eye, all sincerity and earnestness. “Thor, you once promised we could count you as our ally. Has that changed?”

Thor thought back to that time, the moments after he’d ‘died’ at Loki’s order, his sudden renewed sense of purpose and drive inflaming him along with his renewed immortality, the urgency racing through his veins, the haste with which he felt he’d needed to move.

The rash promise he’d made after coming to know a mere handful of Midgardians, without taking into consideration the huge breadth of variety within this realm. There wasn’t nearly as much variation within the people of Asgard (Loki included) or Jötunheim (…Loki included) or any of the other realms, save possibly Hella’s realm of the dead. Thor had assumed most Midgardians were like Jane or Darcy or Eric, while men such as Coulson ran between them and the leaders and warriors who ruled this realm. That couldn’t have been farther from the truth, with governments ranging from democracies to dictatorships, cultures that worshiped a multitude of pantheons, venerated or despised women, punished or accepted those seen as ‘different’, valued tolerance or steadfastness, openmindedness or unswerving loyalty. Midgard, despite being the weakest and blindest of all nine realms, also carried the most potential, as it worked its way through its weaknesses in a myriad of different methods, all at once, allowing only the best and strongest to persevere.

It was a wonderful realm, worthy and becoming more so. But how could one truly swear an oath to protect it while, as Loki had said, its greatest and most constant threats came from within?

And was swearing an oath to Coulson, as an ally, truly protecting the world, if S.H.I.E.L.D.’s self-interest became suddenly tied with one of Earth’s enemies? It could happen; S.H.I.E.L.D. had enough human or almost-human enemies that the realm could split, turn against itself.

Thor knew these thoughts were clear on his face. He’d never learned to properly dissemble. “I… You, and S.H.I.E.L.D., can continue to count me as your ally, as long as the good of this realm remains your aim.”

“And what if we… disagree about what the good of the realm entails?” Coulson asked gingerly.

“What do you mean?”

Coulson had always looked Thor in the eye – as prisoner, as god, as Avenger, Coulson had always treated Thor with the same level of respect. It was something Thor hadn’t even realized he’d appreciated until Coulson’s gaze slid off to the side. “Things aren’t always as simple and straightforward as they seem. If we end up on the opposite side of your brother, which side will you choose?”

“This is hardly merely about Loki,” Thor insisted. “Everyone agreed–”

“With Loki,” Coulson said firmly, his eyes rising to meet Thor’s. “Stark might be behind the whole team glad-handing the press, but Loki’s the one behind everything else. He made that clear enough, and you and Rogers wouldn’t let him take credit or blame for this unless it was deserved. So I’ll ask again Thor; will you follow your brother and his idea of the ‘good of the realm’, or will you consider the point of view of those who have worked towards that end for generations, behind the scenes, thanklessly.”

Coulson had a point. Things _weren’t_ that straightforward. Loki’s actions had proved he could stray far from the path of nobility and even decency. But so, recently, had S.H.I.E.L.D.’s. The idea of international politics, within a single realm, were still new to him, but those whole lived in this world – honourable men like Steve and Bruce, clever men like Clint and Tony, and the rather unique Natasha – agreed with Loki that it wasn’t enough of an excuse to prevent the righteous actions of heroes. Or at least it shouldn’t be.

Thor trusted them. He trusted them with his life and, more importantly, to help guide his actions in this strange world to meet his sense of honour at the same time this realm’s needs. They hadn’t led him astray once, while S.H.I.E.L.D.…

“I have no power of foresight, friend Coulson, and I cannot predict what I might choose. But I can tell you this much; I will not follow my brother, S.H.I.E.L.D., or even those I name ‘friend’ blindly. I’ve had my fill of thoughtless actions.” He narrowed his eyes. “Far all that one might dispute hypotheticals, the one thing that is certain is that allowing our targets to escape led to significant heartache.”

“You don’t know the likely fallout from trespassing past Doom’s borders.”

Thor snorted. “Would the burden have fallen on innocents? Or would we have been allowed to carry it?” He might disagree with Loki on many details, even on the lengths Loki had decided to go to, but he had to agree with his brother on the basics – S.H.I.E.L.D.’s decision had been wrong. No matter the outcome of the opposing decision, the death of that many innocents, those who had not chosen to embrace war and the risks and glory that came with it, was wrong. Thor would have endured a thousand tortures to have prevented it. Would have gladly fought a thousand wars to protect even a single senseless death.

“I don’t know,” Coulson said softly. “Like you, I can’t see the future. I can tell you what Doom has done, and guess what he’d do, but I can’t _know_. We’re human. We’re fallible. We make mistakes. But, generally, we don’t abandon our friends and allies for those mistakes.”

Before Thor could answer that, the door opened and Loki strode in, followed closely by Fury and Tone. His eyes met Thor’s and he looked curious, then pleased.

“Agent Coulson. If I might steal Thor away, Anthony is insisting on what he calls a ‘photo op’ with the entirety of the Avengers.”

“And then he’s insisting on S.H.I.E.L.D. stooges getting off his property,” Tony added. “But, hey, see you around.” He shot an irritated look Fury’s way. “Alone, maybe.”

Loki never looked away from his brother. “Thor?”

He held out his hand and Thor found himself reaching towards him, even with the uncertainties and Coulson’s words echoing in his mind. No matter what, Loki was his brother, and Thor couldn’t turn him aside that quickly.

Not without more cause, at least.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _My mind is clearer now at last, all too well, I can see where we all soon will be_  
>  _If you strip away the myth from the man, you will see where we all soon will be_  
>  \- _Jesus Christ Superstar_.

Nothing changed.

Thor almost wished something had.

The Avengers grew, adding to their ranks one of Bruce’s colleagues Hank Pym, a.k.a. Ant Man, and his assistant-cum-girlfriend Janet ‘ _Wasp_ ’ van Dyne. Hank’s eagerness to do what was right, and Janet’s mistrust of authority made them both a natural fit. Of course, their abilities to shrink made them fit easily most places. One of Clint’s old friends from S.H.I.E.L.D., the Mockingbird to his Hawk, joined up after being interviewed by Loki and comforted for the better part of the following week by Natasha. Clint just assured everyone that Bobbi could take it, she’d gone through worse, and Natasha threw a book at his head.

Tony brought in Rhodes and gave him the code name ‘War Machine’ and a suit _almost_ as nice as the Iron Man suit, but with more intimidation and less finesse. It worked for him.

Loki himself brought in two more members, Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, twin siblings. No one said anything, but shot significant looks between Loki and Thor as the two settled in, as comfortable with each other as Thor remembered Freya and Freyr being. They had the same dignity and distance he recalled from the Vanir siblings, enough that he asked after their parentage, wondering if they were some obscure form of royalty.

Pietro lived up to the name of Quicksilver as he landed three (admittedly weak) blows on Thor before Thor even realized it or could start to defend himself. Loki had to step in, apologizing smoothly on Thor’s behalf, and then explaining privately to Thor later that their origins were as off-limits as Loki’s own.

No one knew where Loki’s last follower came from, just that one day Loki was lounging on one of Tony’s balconies with a costumed young man who claimed he was part spider. Given that Thor had a niece who was half-dead, he had no problem with this, but he was a little surprised at the equanimity with which the others accepted him. It was a pity that his mixed blood dulled his otherwise human facial features, the skin moving unnaturally over his face like a mask, but otherwise his appearance was as human as most other races Thor had met, and less monstrous than most.

Loki, on the other hand, maintained his glamour, never once allowing his Jötunn features out. Thor respected that as well.

What was harder to accept was the realization that, truly, the Avengers had become _Loki’s_ followers. He’d led them before, in battle as well as guiding them as an equal, but with S.H.I.E.L.D. and their organized command structure out of the way, Loki slid into the role he had literally been born and raised to play; that of unilateral dictator. As Odin ruled Asgard with the power of his will and his might, so Loki ruled the Avengers, with his smooth words and the appearance of infallibility. Thor couldn’t fault his friends for forgetting Loki’s mad invasion in the light of his more recent glorious victories; they were mortal and had mortal attention spans. Clint, who’d carried the grudge the longest, was also Loki’s most ardent follower; quieter about it than Tony’s bombastic, effusive praise, but steadier and more sincere. The rest of them seemed to have completely forgotten Loki-the-villain, and fully embraced Loki-the-hero. Loki-the-leader.

It was everything Thor had hoped for and fought for when he’d first brought Loki to Midgard. So why, then, was he feeling so uneasy?

“You look troubled.” Thor looked up and forced a small smile on his face at the friendly voice. Wanda, accompanied as usual by Pietro, smiled back as she approached him. “You should talk to your brother. He’s very good at helping people work things out.”

Thor very carefully didn’t look at the way their hands were joined, fingers laced together. He suddenly missed Jane, inexplicably.

“You trust him, do you not?” Thor asked suddenly, realizing one of the things that had been bothering him deeply over the past few days.

Wanda and Pietro exchanged a look of wordless, but complex, communication. “Yes,” Pietro answered, simply but guardedly. “That’s why we joined. Loki offered us something we… couldn’t get elsewhere.”

That was what Loki was good at – finding out what you wanted and then offering it to you at a seemingly low price. He’d bartered for many of Asgard’s treasures, once gaining six of her grandest and most impressive objects in return for allowing his lips to be sewn shut for a few days.

…a few years, perhaps. Thor hadn’t really paid attention to the duration of the punishment, washing his hands of the whole thing once Loki had talked his way out of a beheading. Either way, Loki had used his clever words and his brashness to good effect time and time again, but that hardly meant he was trustworthy.

Not that _Thor_ mistrusted him. But… everyone else should. That was the way of things – Thor was naïve and overly optimistic, and everyone else was suspicious and cautious. Tony should have been all smiles and open arms, while secretly inventing something to keep Loki in check. Natasha should have been discreetly reporting to S.H.I.E.L.D. this entire time. Steve should have been quietly gathering everyone together, with his firm but kind leadership, and kept a set of loyalties not directly offered to Loki himself.

But none of that was happening. Bruce and Tony were working on anti-magic technology, with Loki’s help, but not without building in fail-safes to ensure that it couldn’t ever be used against Loki himself. Natasha and Clint, as well as Bobbi, were so firmly loyal to Loki that Thor doubted they even contacted their old friends and acquaintances any more, just in case they might accidentally let something slip. Steve had stepped aside so far that none of the new Avengers even looked up to him, taking the lead from not only Loki, but Tony or Hank when the situation was appropriate. He fell so comfortably in the pattern of just another soldier that Thor wondered if he’d imagined the man’s almost inhuman charisma and brilliance.

And the new Avengers, well, they knew nothing but this. They deferred to Loki without even a thought, happily and comfortably placing their faith in him. Thor had wanted his brother to be accepted, to be a part of the team, but he hadn’t wanted this.

This was just… wrong.

“You are quite right. I should go talk with Loki.” Thor drew himself up, no longer mired in the mental quicksand of internal doubt. Loki _was_ good at dealing with these sorts of quandaries, and Thor would have had a much happier, if less eventful, youth if he’d taken Loki’s advice to heart more often. “But there is one thing you should remember. My brother was given the title of god of lies and mischief for a reason. He’s very rarely outright dishonest, but he is quick to tell the truth in a very limited and biased manner. Trust is good, but caution with him and his promises is wise.”

“Hypocrisy aside,” Wanda said, amused, “that is good advice. We’ve been disappointed before by not-quite-lies. But we can take care of ourselves, Thor.”

Pietro smiled. “Especially when we’re together.”

Thor just nodded, unable to argue with that. He’d call Jane once he was done with Loki and ask her to return.

But first, there was Loki himself to deal with. He was rarely alone, constantly surrounded by Avengers or, more rarely, the media or public who’d taken him on as some kind of darling. Thor entered the room as casually as he could, relieved to see just a few Avengers alone with Loki, chatting.

“So, JARVIS hasn’t detected anything. How’re your little magic balls?”

Loki looked fondly at Tony. “Stop snickering, Anthony. And the moment they detect any magical threat worth mentioning you’ll be among the first ten to know.”

“You sure? You let Doom get away with that stuff in Chicago.”

“That wasn’t about us. The best way to ensure minimal collateral damages is to allow Richards and Doom to deal with their own issues without any interference from outside parties. If the Fantastic Four had been busy, I would have assembled the team, I assure you.”

Hank frowned lightly. “Not that I think you’re wrong, but shouldn’t the whole team be making those decisions?”

Yes, exactly. That was one of Midgard’s differences and strengths. The whole _team_ thing, where every member had something to add, a place of equality. True, that wasn’t universal throughout Midgard, but it was far more common than it was anywhere else. On Asgard, on Jötunheim, Loki completely taking over the Avengers would have been expected. But on Midgard, Loki should have been just another member, questioning him should have been a matter of course. It was one of the things Thor, who had grown up in Asgard under his father’s absolute monarchy, liked about this realm.

The look Loki threw Hank, however, made it clear that he didn’t like it nearly as much.

“Why should you want to know? It isn’t as though further input would have changed the end result. If anything, given some of your more _simple_ colleagues and their obsession with fighting, there would have been great debate over the proper way to handle the situation. And which side, dear Hank, would you have been on?”

Hank frowned. “Well, we can’t just sit here and do nothing…”

“Of course we can. Deciding to do nothing can be just as difficult as deciding what to do, and often more effective. ‘Can’ is not the same thing as ‘should’. For instance, I _can_ tell you about every miniscule bleep I pick up; every time someone with latent power plays ‘light as a feather, stiff as a board’. What I _should_ do, however, is save my warnings for when they’re needed and for when we can do more good than harm.”

Clint rolled his eyes from where he was draped over the back of Loki’s chair. “Yes, yes, you’re very good.” Loki’s irritated expression faded grudgingly into a more relaxed state. “Stop fussing, Loki, we all know you’ve got our backs. Everything’s fine now, just chill.”

His hands were on Loki’s shoulders, pressing gently but firmly and Thor couldn’t help but remember the countless times Loki had shrugged off Fandral or Volstagg’s hands, keeping a chilled distance from them. Apparently, however, this Clint Barton; magic-less human, short-lived sneak of a false warrior; was more worthy and tolerable than Thor’s honourable, valorous friends. Was it because he was like a pet to Loki’s mind? Why then was he giving Loki orders, touching him to calm him, acting more like a peer or a…

Thor’s sudden growl of anger interrupted Hank’s sheepish apology for jumping to conclusions. “Loki have you been… cavorting with this… this…”

Unnoticed in a corner until now, Natasha started laughing.

“Hey,” Clint protested. “That’s kind of a big conclusion to jump to. At least I think it is. Does ‘cavorting’ mean what I think it means?”

“It does,” Loki said, his voice soft but full of suppressed anger. “Thor, tread carefully here. This isn’t our world, they don’t cleave to our traditions.”

“And yet neither you nor your _nïðing_ deny it! Or is _he_ the one who shames you?”

Clint gave a sharp laugh. “Look, there’s no _shaming_ going on here. Of anyone.”

Loki stood up, effectively blocking Thor’s view of Clint. “Hush, Clint. If Thor goes much further honour will demand a duel to the death, and I’d rather you not face off against him.”

Thor snorted, still not quite sure why he was so angry, but getting more and more upset as his brother protected and sided with these mortals against him. “Your protection only unmans him more, brother.”

“Clint’s with me,” Natasha said, having finally recovered from her initial laughing fit. “And I don’t share.”

“Yeah!” Clint said. “If there’s _anyone_ unmanning me, it’s Tasha.”

“Thank you two for that mental image,” Loki said quietly, his eyes never leaving Thor’s. “Do we still have a problem here, Thor?”

They did. Thor had come into the room spoiling for a fight, and had picked the first one that popped up. But that wasn’t the fight he’d originally wanted to have.

His father had stripped him of his powers, tossed him to the mercy of this mortal realm, to teach him to be worthy. One of the lessons Thor had learned was to avoid lashing out in the midst of a rage. There would be time enough to confront his brother over his faults, no need to do so when it would inevitably come to blows that would solve nothing.

“No problem,” Thor managed to grind out, turning and storming out of the room, still breathing hard. He’d gained the wisdom to turn away, but not the control to master his feelings. Thor had never known that one without the other would be so exquisitely painful.

He suffered for the next few days, alternating between avoiding his brother and watching him from afar. It was difficult when just seeing him reignited the fire of fury in Thor’s chest, watching the Avengers crowd around Loki like the god he’d once played at being. The humans of Midgard were supposed to have grown past that, particularly the ones who worked and lived and fought beside such ‘gods’ daily.

They’d certainly never allowed how impressed they were with Thor and Mjölnir to turn them into mindless sycophants.

Since breaking off ties with S.H.I.E.L.D., Thor had felt more and more adrift, out of control. True, that could have been just a correlation, but Thor couldn’t help but feel that everything had been better before.

A few more restless nights, a few more days of being the Avenger’s pariah, and Thor was willing to act on that.

It surprised him, how easily and openly he was welcomed back. Coulson didn’t quite smile, but he looked pleased to see Thor, and not even a little bit smug. Fury himself seemed almost eager to talk, something that made Thor hopeful that a compromise could be reached.

“What does Loki want?”

It surprised (and somewhat irritated Thor) that they would think he was here on Loki’s behalf. But it was also reassuring that Fury was willing to treat with Loki. It would make things much easier.

“I’m not here for my brother,” Thor said, subtly emphasising their relationship. “I’m here about him.”

“Ooh?” Fury leaned back, and _there_ was the smugness Thor had expected. “Trouble in paradise?”

There were so many ways to answer that, but Thor didn’t want to get into a battle of wits. He was tired of smart-asses and sharp rejoinders and cruel barbs. “The Avengers are well. Loki leads them with their complete consent.” Fury raised an eyebrow as if asking _well, then_? “I have no intention of _betraying_ my brother. But I don’t feel he made the correct decision. And I feel that as long as he is at the head of the Avengers, there will be no fixing his error. He is notoriously stubborn.”

Agent Hill looked up from her papers. Thor hadn’t interacted much with her, but between Jane and Natasha, he knew better than to underestimate her just because she looked softer. “So you’re proposing we remove him? Because I don’t see him giving up leadership that easily.”

“I agree,” Thor said heavily. “I do not think this would be an easy task, but I also do not think it need be a permanent one. If Loki is removed, even temporarily, the others can surely be convinced to return to S.H.I.E.L.D. and then everything can continue as it was.” With everyone in their rightful place, once the truth that Loki wasn’t always right either was revealed to the rest of the team.

Fury held up a small sheaf of papers. “What do you think these are?”

Ah. Thor recognized them immediately. “Those are the papers you call ‘documents’.”

Hill snorted, but Fury never flinched. “Damn straight. More specifically, they are warrants for Loki’s arrest from the UN, the World Security Council, and more countries than even you can shake a stick at. They’re old, but they’ve never expired.”

“Are you saying that those papers give you the right to imprison my brother?” That seemed feasible, given the relative lenient sentencing in Migdard. They were unlikely to have snakes dripping poison onto one’s face, or the ability to acquire the entrails from any of Loki’s children to bind him with. Knowing the parole system, he’d likely be out in under a year.

But Fury was shaking his head. “Not imprison him, no. To exile him.”

Thor’s breath caught at that. Sending Loki back to Asgard? It could work – technically he hadn’t committed any further crimes requiring any punishment, and with Heimdall keeping an eye on him it would likely be months until he could sneak back to Midgard. And it wasn’t like Loki wouldn’t be able to tolerate those few months in the company of noble warriors who despised and hated him. He’d managed most of his childhood there, after all.

“There still is the catch of getting him off planet,” Hill said as Thor convinced himself that it wouldn’t be _that_ bad. “With his power, there isn’t much anyone could force him to do. I don’t suppose you have those magic handcuffs again?”

Thor shook his head. “Yes, but Loki has already worked a way around those.” Natural Jötunn abilities weren’t blocked the way Loki’s learned Asgardian magic had been. “There… there is a way. But it will take some time for me to arrange.”

Both Hill and Fury were watching him closely, with avid interest and barely disguised avarice. Thor felt a little hurt – if it had been Loki standing in front of them, or even Stark, they would have tried to hide that predatory gleam. But with him, they didn’t even bother.

It was enough that Thor decided to keep the details of his plan to himself. “One lunar month from now, on Thursday night, you’ll find him where you want him. Far from the crowds, in the garden of Central Park.”

“Lyrical,” Fury muttered.

Once Thor left, Hill turned to Fury. “That takes care of that.”

“No,” Fury said, thoughtful. “No, it doesn’t. Loki started off as a villain, and only stopped once he basically took control of one of this planet’s finest fighting forces. Yeah, he’s been dabbling in good, but that can change just as fast as taking away his new toy. It’s easy to say that Loki would come back from Asgard all sad and contrite and wanting to be part of the team again, but how likely do you think that really is?” His expression darkened. “And how much are you willing to risk on it? ‘Cause I gotta say, based on his history, we’re pretty much wagering everything, up to and including the existence of the universe.”

Hill nodded, conceding the point. “So we’re not giving him to Asgard, we can’t keep him here. What’s left?” Fury passed her a folder, thin and, unusually, picture-free. “Jötnar?”

“Frost Giants, Hill. The natural enemies of Asgard and the closest thing we have to a guarantee that Loki won’t just walk away from this punishment to make our lives a living hell. Or worse yet, end them completely. According to Thor, Loki tried to wipe their entire planet out, and almost succeeded. What would you do, if you were given the opportunity to punish someone who’d almost nuked the planet a thousand times over?”

Hill looked at the folder. “I’d make damn sure he couldn’t do it again, sir.”

“Exactly.” Fury stood. “Come.”

They went down to one of the more secret levels of the base, then up a secret elevator to a secret tower. Neither of them found any of that overkill, despite the forty-seven separate check points they had to clear.

The last one led to a large room, filled with flashing lights and technology and machines that went _ping_. “What’s this?” Hill asked.

One of the many nameless, faceless (figuratively) S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists approached them. “Director, what brings you here today? Asgard again?”

Fury shook his head. “Not this time.” He turned to Hill. “This is one of the interplanetary arrays set up to communicate with the other worlds we know about. For some reason – Thor says the Tree, Banner says spatial relativity and quantum something-or-other – it only works with the other worlds the Asgardians already know about. And not even all of those, which is just as well. Apparently one of those worlds is the literal inspiration for hell.”

“So we’re going to use this to talk to Jötunheim?” Hill asked.

“Jötunheim?” The scientist repeated. “That’ll take a moment to adjust to.” He nodded at Fury and went off, calling out directions.

Fury sat in the center chair, with Hill standing at his side. “Are you sure I should be here, sir? As I recall, Asgard had some strong ideas about women and their place.”

“You’re my right-hand, Hill. You stay.” Fury smiled, at least as much as he ever did. “Besides, worse comes to worst, I can always just call you my serving wench.”

“It’s set up, sir!” The screen flared to life with quiet static that arranged itself into the darkened image of what looked like some kind of smurf, although all the intel indicated the Jötunn were generally almost twice the size of the average human.

“Midgard.” The blue smurf-giant sounded amused, his voice dark and gravelly, but oddly cultured. “You have come far in such a little while. Was it only a millennia ago that we raided your lands for sport?”

Fury shrugged. “Around that. We have an offer.”

“What could you possibly offer us? You’ve lost the Tesseract, with nothing to show for it other than a pair of irritating Asgardian princes.”

“Yeah, that’s kinda what’s on offer,” Fury said, quickly adding, “Not Thor. The other one, Loki.”

The frost giant seemed to consider that. “The liesmith? Well, it’s certainly less likely to cause an intergalactic war. Very well, I’m listening.”

Fury leaned forward. “First of all, who am I talking to? I need to know that you have the authority to keep any bargains we might make.”

“I am Helblindi,” the frost giant growled, clearly displeased at the challenge, “son of Laufey, undisputed king of Jötunheim. There is no other who could possibly have as much authority as I. Who, _human_ , are you?”

“Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Loki’s former boss.”

Helblindi laughed. “You shackled the worldwalker? Unlikely. He’s fooled better men than you, I can assure you of that.”

“Speaking from experience?” Fury asked casually.

Helblindi’s expression darkened. “I have lived for centuries, you pitiful mortal. I have seen and experienced things you can’t even contemplate. My strength would send you to your quivering knees, my powers would terrify you beyond all recourse. I’ve dreamed of blood and fire, of my own brother lying dead and mutilated at my feet, of the fallout, the fall of the world tree itself.” Helblindi caught himself. “But Býleistr lives and of all my powers, prophecy has always been the sole purview of the Norns and the Allmother.”

“That’s… nice,” Fury said. “So do you want Loki or not?”

“I don’t believe you can deliver him,” Helblindi said. “Prove yourself anything other than a pitiful braggart before attempting to rise above your station.”

The communication cut off there.

Hill blinked. “Well. Okay. So, we have four weeks to prepare for that.”

“I trust we still have the appropriate facilities?”

“General Ross is insisting we keep it open for the Hulk now that he’s gone rogue, but I’m sure I can free it up in that time,” Hill said. “Are we sure Thor will follow through?”

Fury gave a half nod, half shrug. “He’s never let us down before. I’m more comfortable putting my trust in him than in half-naked blue aliens. But it’s not like we have any other practical options at this point. And if he flakes out…”

Hill nodded sharply. “Understood. I’ll draw up a series of contingency plans.”

“See to it, Hill.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _If you knew the things that I knew_  
>  _Poor Jerusalem_  
>  \- _Jesus Christ Superstar._

“I’m just saying that if someone’s attacking Latveria, they probably have a good reason. Why should we jump in to protect a country that could turn around and do something actually _bad_?”

Loki massaged his forehead. It was at these times that he almost wished Thor was still around to randomly burst into meetings and interrupt them. As it was, he had to sit through the endless prattling and pretend to care. Janet, who was currently presenting her case that Dr. Doom was ‘a total douche’ and Latveria should be excluded from the world-wide net of protection that the Avengers currently offered, was one of the worst. Tony, just as vocal in his opinion and just as quick to share it, was at least entertaining, as were Rhodes’s attempts to calm him. Most of the other original Avengers knew enough to at least approach Loki on his own if they had issues.

It was the newer ones who were the problem. Hank with his unyielding idealism, Janet with her black-and-white view of them-and-us, even Peter with his quick wit and willingness to engage anyone and everyone in moral debates for what appeared to be the fun of it. Wanda and Pietro generally kept to themselves, content with Loki’s promise that they could stay together and no one would interfere with them in any way. They’d offered Loki a refuge if he needed it, but imposing on their intimacy was awkward. Loki far preferred to hole away where only Clint and occasionally Natasha or Bobbi would follow, respecting his desires for peace or quiet conversation.

It seemed that none of the others even noticed those desires.

“Once we start picking and choosing, we condemn the innocent with the guilty. Doom isn’t the only person in Latveria; don’t his people deserve protection the same as any other people?” Hank asked.

“But would it even be protection, returning them to the rule of a tyrant?” Peter asked gleefully, for the sole reason of keeping this idiotic conversation going. Sometime Loki wondered if that was why he kept his secret identity and mask on in front of the Avengers. To hide his smarmy little smirks.

To Loki’s relief, Hank was interrupted before he could start rhapsodizing over how everyone deserved another chance (and where was he with his bleeding heart when Loki was invading Manhattan, hmm?) even Doom, by Steve’s abrupt entrance.

“Ah. Hey. Um. Sorry to interrupt…”

There were several Avengers Loki found difficult to read. Steve was not one of them. His face spoke clearer than any words of his guilt and shame. Loki kept his expression carefully neutral. “Where have you been, Steven?”

Steve actually flushed, like a child caught with his hand in a cookie jar. “I was just out. With a friend. For… coffee.”

Tony sighed heavily, looking up from his StarkPad. “Meeting with Coulson again?”

“Just socially!” Steve insisted. “It’s not like… Rhodey still meets with his military buddies!” He looked horrified as soon as the words were out of his mouth. “Sorry, that was uncalled for…”

“Damn straight it was,” Tony shot back. “Besides, it’s not like he’s reporting back to the organization we just left due to legitimate ethical dilemmas.”

Steve looked genuinely apologetic, but it was Rhodes’s face Loki was watching, catching the faint flare of surprise and remorse that quickly faded back into watchful blankness. Loki personally preferred his own mask, and Tony’s, the mask of faint amusement. Military training made for an impressive blank expression, but it was relatively easy to break through it and find the emotion it tried to hide.

Well. That was nice to know – Loki had been aware of Steve’s coffee conversations with Coulson, but Rhodey reporting to the military was news. Loki sighed. He didn’t have the time or the energy for this; it wasn’t as though the Avengers were the only pie in which Loki had a finger.

“I’ll let you deal with this amongst yourselves,” Loki said, standing. “For the record, Steven, while there is no one here who doubts your good intentions and your honour, there are also few here who doubt Coulson’s ability to outmanoeuvre you, even with stars in his eyes.” Steve, still flushed, looked away, still shamed but getting a little insulted. Loki smiled. “And Colonel Rhodes, your loyalty has always been to your country, and your friendship always Anthony’s first. I certainly don’t begrudge you your choices.” The look Tony was giving Rhodes behind his back indicated that he might consider a certain amount of begrudging. A feeling of warm satisfaction chased away Loki’s headache. Chaos was its own reward.

His work here done for the day, Loki stood. “I have a few things I need to look into. If anyone needs anything, do please let me know.”

The careful questioning and barbs that flew following Loki’s departure made him hum softly in satisfaction. As much as he might appreciate the way the Avengers moved like a well-oiled machine in battle, the way they complimented each other’s strengths and weaknesses, the aspect of the Avengers he most enjoyed was how very different they were, like so many types of volatile chemicals, awaiting only the slightest flint to set them off.

He didn’t do it much. It would undermine his authority, his place as their leader. But sometimes it was nice to just indulge.

But there were other places he could apply his more overtly manipulative talents.

“Please let the others know I’ve gone out for a spot of air, if you would, JARVIS. I’ll be in touch if needed.”

“ _Very good, sir._ ”

The coffee shop in which Coulson met Steve was four blocks south-east of the Avengers mansion. It was a nice enough place, but catered to comfort rather than panache. The coffee shop Loki was heading for was due north and really more of a _café_ , designed for privacy and discretion. He often headed there when even Clint’s placid company was more than he wanted, when his mind turned to darker thoughts and plots. He took his usual seat and waited patiently for someone to join him.

He was lucky this time. “Henry.” Loki rose to great his guest. “What a rare pleasure to see you personally once again. Slow day in Washington?”

Henry Gyrich, the official liaison between the Avengers and the U.S. government now that the Avengers were unaffiliated, had met with Loki on several occasions; some of them public, many of them in this quiet little café.

Not that he knew that he was meeting with Loki here. “Laura.” Henry clasped Loki’s hands and kissed his cheeks. “You’re looking lovely as usual.”

Loki smiled and tucked a loose lock of ginger hair behind the shapely ear of one of his favourite female forms. Henry’s eyes dropped to Loki’s breasts and Loki congratulated himself on his continued success at choosing his forms wisely. “Thank you so much. Please, sit. If you’re here personally, there must be something pressing preying on your mind.”

“Indeed.” Henry slid into the seat across from Loki. “I’ve given quite a bit of thought to what you told my secretary last week.” Loki leaned forwards, the very picture of interest, and Henry’s eyes flickered to his cleavage again. “Ah… well, about the newer members, about the power plays going on.”

“Oh,” Loki gasped breathily. “I hope he didn’t… I never meant anything by it, I assure you. It was just a bit of fun I was poking at them. They’re really quite lovely, like I’ve told you before.”

Henry smiled, cool and reassuring. “Of course not.” He’d thought he’d been using ‘Laura’ as an unwitting informant of the Avengers’ activities for months. Loki had been stringing him and his assistants along, not entirely sure what he wanted with them. Now, after watching the Avengers spat, he had an idea. He just needed Henry to think that idea was _his_. “I would never ask you to betray any confidences. I was just wondering if there was something you could… _clarify_. Just to clear up any misunderstandings.”

Loki widened his eyes and leaned forward. “I would be delighted to do so.” This time, Henry’s gaze remained firmly on his face, watching for any sign of deceit or fabrication. Loki could easily keep those off his borrowed face, and he knew he could convince Henry to do what needed to be done, but the trick would be in making him think that he’d thought up the final solution himself.

This was almost as much fun as hiding children from ravenous giants. Not as challenging, but more subtle and layered. And a lovely way to decompress after dealing with the bratty spats of his fellow Avengers.

OoO-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-OoO

“Who has Fox?” Tony demanded. “I have MSNBC and Rachel Maddow hates my capitalist, tax-evading, outsourcing ass. Nevermind that I do half of the inventing and innovating myself, _way_ more than Steve Jobbs, and that I spend my own money on bettering the world, she’s all like ‘marginalized majority’ this and ‘the 1%’ that…”

“Oh, shut up, Stark; here. It’s not Fox, but it’s more up your alley than mine,” Natasha snapped.

Tony looked at her assignment. “Playboy? We have _Playboy_ on our media blitz and it wasn’t given to _me_?”

“Yes, imagine that. I gave the borderline pornographic magazine directed towards straight males to one of our female members,” Loki said wryly.

“Yeah, thanks for that. I originally thought your misogynistic assholery was just to get under my skin,” Natasha turned her irritation onto Loki. “Turns out, you’re kind of a sexist pig.”

Loki bowed shallowly. “Your words warm me.” Natasha shot something back in Russian, and Loki laughed.

“Why are we doing these anyway?” Bobbi asked. “Not that I have any problem with sitting down with stuffy suits in my costume – it’s what I used to do on a near-daily basis with S.H.I.E.L.D. – but what’s the point?”

“Just to get our voices out, our point of view,” Loki said. “S.H.I.E.L.D. has been notably silent since our decision. It behoves us to make the first move.”

Tony nodded. “Yeah. Loki’s got the will of the people behind him now, so this is the best time to make his move. I mean, it’s not like it’s a hard sell; superheroes without national ties. Even Captain America knows there’s a point when humanity’s needs override any one country’s. And he’s Captain America! It’s even in his name. Heck, it _is_ his name!”

“Actually, it’s Steve Rogers,” Steve corrected calmly, not at all disagreeing with any of Tony’s salient points. “Natasha, can I trade too? I have CNN, but Rachel and I really hit it off after I called her a classy dame. Apparently that’s still charming.”

“Are you even for real?” Rhodey asked incredulously. “If I tried that, I’d probably get slapped.”

Steve shrugged. “I guess it’s all in the delivery.” All the women present, and several of the men, murmured or nodded in agreement.

“But we’re not waiting for Thor?” Bruce asked, and the lively atmosphere dampened somewhat.

Loki frowned. “He’s gone to Asgard. He didn’t say when he’d be back.” Thor had left almost a full moon ago, leaving Loki ‘unsupervised’ for the first time since they’d returned to Midgard. It made Loki nervous. “I’ll try to get a message to him, but we should plan to continue without him.” Frankly, letting his brother out unrestrained in the media had never been part of any of Loki’s plans – if anything, he’d planned to have Thor by his side, mouthing appropriate platitudes while Loki charmed whichever reporter was interviewing them into submission. It would do Thor some good to be reminded that a silver tongue and pleasing mask were valued in this realm.

But that would only work if Thor returned. Loki was certain nothing would keep him away indefinitely, not from those he called ‘friend’ and ‘fellow’, and certainly not from Jane who still had the power to soften Thor and make him listen, even at his most impatient.

Loki knew full well that Thor wouldn’t just turn away from someone he’d given that degree of respect and love to. Not at any cost.

“Can we keep trading while you’re gone?” Peter asked in that innocent way that meant he was making trouble. “Does anyone have the Daily Bugle?”

“We don’t do small-fry,” Loki said casually as he breezed out of the room to the sound of Spiderman’s laughter.

The moment he left, a flurry of excited conversation started. And, of course, more trading.

“We’re already polling higher than the Fantastic Four, despite the small hit we took when Spiderman joined us.” Peter made a rude gesture at Tony who just laughed. “Hey, you’re the guy who went out of his way to antagonize a member of the press, and don’t think Loki didn’t notice. There’s a reason we’ve never done anything with the Bugle.”

“Jameson hates masks,” Peter pointed out. “I’m not the only hidden identity here.”

Janet snorted. “Yeah, but you’re the only one who’s hiding from his friends. Does Loki even know?”

“Loki knows everything,” Natasha and Clint intoned in eerie unison, making everyone burst into laughter.

“That calls for a drink!” Tony exclaimed, opening up the bar.

Hank sighed in contentment. “This was just what I’d always dreamed of. Being an Avenger, doing good work, as a team…”

“All our trials and tribulations, sinking in a gentle pool of fifty-year-old-scotch,” Tony said, pouring out enough drinks for everyone. Well, almost everyone. “Except Spiderman’s, unless he can drink through that mask.”

“Stop teasing him,” Steve chided gently, but Peter waved away the offered glass, making his choice. “A toast, then. To the team of basically American heroes who, led by a magical god-like alien, decided that being American was less important than being heroes.”

“Here, here!”

“To us!”

“That sounds like the kind of toast Tony or I would make.”

“Hush, Barton. To the Avengers!”

“Isn’t it bad luck to drink a toast to yourself?”

There was a long pause as everyone slowly pulled their drinks from their lips, looking around furtively at Bruce’s quiet, innocuous question.

Then Wanda shrugged. “Can’t really hurt anything.”

“I’ll drink to that,” Tony said and then there was more pouring and drinking and laughing.

They were still drinking and laughing, if somewhat less controlled than before, when Thor returned. Steve, sober only due to his super metabolism, was the first to notice him and pulled away from Tony’s cheerfully inebriated hold with a wide smile. “Thor! Welcome back, did Loki get that message to you?”

Thor shook his head, trying not to stare at the hammocks made from webbing that many of the Avengers were lounging in, under the watchful eye of the Spider-Man. “Sadly, he did not. I likely had arranged to leave Asgard before the attempt was made.” He touched the small pouch at his side, a small gesture from someone who did not, as a rule, make small gestures. “It took some time, but I finished my task. Where could I find Loki?”

“To Loki!” Tony slurred loudly from the bar.

“Loki!”

Thor winced and Steve shrugged weakly. “They’re kind of drunk.”

“To drinking!”

“Drinking!”

“I am familiar with the state,” Thor said. “My brother?”

Steve frowned. “We haven’t seen him since he went out to send that message a few hours ago. I wouldn’t have thought it would have taken this long…”

It shouldn’t have. If Loki had wanted to send a message through Heimdall or even through Frigga it should have been the work of minutes. If, however, he’d wanted to keep any message as private as possible, he would have gone through the Norns, as they might not keep (or even understand the concept of) secrets, but they spoke so obliquely that unwinding their words to find any meaning was generally more trouble than it was worth. Thor had no idea why Loki would have wanted to talk to him without their mother or Heimdall knowing about it, but knowing Loki it couldn’t have boded well.

Even so, contacting the Norns themselves rarely took more than a few insistent calls, at least not unless they were feeling particularly belligerent or obtuse. After contacting them, however, they could easily spend hours playing mind games and weaving prophecy through prose so dense that even the Allfather had difficulty untangling it. It was entirely possible that they’d been in a sharing mood, and Loki was never one to back down from a mental challenge.

“I shall endeavour to find him,” Thor said, bowing stiffly to Steve. If Loki had contacted the Norns, he would have wanted privacy and would likely be in his rooms. Another raucous round of laughter from the be-hammocked Avengers drew Thor’s attention to the doorway, where Loki was standing, looking paler than usual.

“So this is what betrayal feels like,” Loki mused softly, lifting his face to meet Thor’s eyes. “The end is even harder, when brought about by my… by a friend.”

His voice seemed to fill the room, despite how quiet and empty it was, and everyone stopped what they were doing to listen, as much as they could. “You all seem to be enjoying yourselves. That’s good. It’s reassuring to know I’m not missed. That I won’t be.”

“Loki, what the hell…”

“My chosen, my twelve; those in who I’ve placed my faith. Or, well. Misplaced, more like.” Loki laughed, and it nearly cut at the air it was so bitterly sharp. “One of you will deny me, returning to S.H.I.E.L.D. the moment I falter, before I even fall, and another will _cause_ that fall.” His smile had that touch of mania that had been missing since his capture, the edge of insanity that had made it easier to see him as an enemy. Well, that and the alien army wrecking paths of destruction through New York. “It’s a little ironic, considering my ultimate destiny, that it should be another betraying _me_ that triggers it.”

Thor snorted. “Oh, of course. First it’s because you’re adopted, then because you’re born to a monstrous race, then the Tesseract and Thanatos, and every time you bring chaos and pain it’s someone else’s fault.”

“And you, dear brother? Who takes the blame when you cause problems, when your hammer goes missing or you leave Asgard unarmed?”

“That last one _was_ your fault! You told me we were going on a pleasure cruise and led me into a trap.”

“And that justifies what you’re planning on doing now?”

Thor clutched at the pouch at his side. “I haven’t even done anything.”

“You and I both know it’s inevitable.” Loki finally moved into the room. “We’re both tied into the treads of fate, Thor, but it’s our choices that wove it thusly.”

That was true. Destiny was only that because they were who they were and what they had done and would, inevitably, do. Their choices were free, but they couldn’t make choices against their nature. The future was predictable only because they were. Only because they would always do the same thing again. And again. And again.

Hence the cycle.

Thor had never felt more conflicted than he did in that moment; torn between doing what he knew was right, what he had worked hard to accomplish, and letting it all go and turning a blind eye to his brother, just letting whatever Loki had planned happen. He had done that so many times in the past, sometimes to his benefit, more often to his detriment, but usually to everyone’s temporary amusement. That was the problem with Loki’s plots – they were so easy to just go along with until it was too late and Odin was doling out punishments.

Loki turned away from Thor when he hesitated, apparently content to let Thor stew in his own indecision, towards Natasha. She met his eyes and said something, only slightly slurred, in Russian. Loki shook his head.

“Three times, you will be asked, and three times you will deny me.”

Natasha raised her chin. “I doubt it. But, if that’s true, I’m sure I’ll have a good reason.”

“Tasha,” Clint hissed. “Don’t.”

Loki laughed. “You sit here in ease, without care, without concern. You follow me, but you don’t even know _why_ you chose me over S.H.I.E.L.D. And some of you will never figure that out.” His voice dropped to the low, threatening drawl that he’d used to first greet Fury and Midgard itself. “And some of you will. And _that_ is the true tragedy of the Avengers – that there are some of you who truly have the strength of character, the clear mind and strong heart, to find the true path and follow it for the right reasons. And some of you are just superpowered _sheep_.”

He turned to storm out, to make his usual dramatic exit, but Thor grabbed his arm. Loki stopped, thrown off his rhythm, and looked up into Thor’s eyes, his own wide and confused. “Brother?”

Thor had fallen for that hundreds, possibly thousands, of times before. He knew better now, enough that he faltered but didn’t stop, but he couldn’t deny the way his heart wrenched at Loki’s voice.

This was for the best.

“I will be sure to explain later,” Thor promised, himself as much as Loki. “It is for the best.” And he took the small red gem his father had finally allowed him to take from Asgard’s treasury, removed from a gauntlet guarded even more heavily than the Tesseract now was, and pressed it to Loki’s chest, focusing on directing it to do what, and only what, he needed done.

As Loki stared at him, confused and then pained, his skin started to turn blue as the magic holding him to his Asgardian form was taken along with his own magic by the power gem. Thor tightened his control, leaving Loki only the magics cast on him by others, including his masks, while stripping Loki of his powers, both innate and learned, both magical and martial. His form stabilized into the Loki Thor had grown with, his armour remained intact, but the fear and pain on his face spoke of the quick work the power gem was making of his magic and superhuman strength. Thor was careful to leave him enough to function with – enough strength in his diaphragm to breathe, enough strength in his legs to stand – but little more.

Loki screamed and the Avengers, stunned out of their immobility by the realization that something _wrong_ was happening, moved as one.

Thor, with Mjölnir, was faster.

This wasn’t the first hole he’d punched through the walls of the Avenger’s tower, but it was the first one he’d made trying to get _away_ from the Avengers rather than lead them towards an enemy. He knew Tony, with his quick-assembly armour, would be right behind them, along with Hank and Janet and the man of spiders who could _essentially_ fly. The others would be only moments behind, in the Quinjet. Thor would have to work and talk fast, or he would end up battling his friends.

He didn’t want that. That wasn’t what this was about.

Loki, fortunately, had stopped screaming after the initial burst, and just shook in Thor’s arms as Thor carried him towards the small lake and larger green area that marked the central park of New York. Thor was always appreciative of the maintenance of green space even within this press of humanity. Even if there wasn’t enough space for hunting.

They landed in the middle of what was technically a S.H.I.E.L.D. operation, which meant furtive men and women everywhere, likely ten more hidden for every one in plain sight, as well as lights and large black vehicles and in the center of all the chaos, Nick Fury, flanked by Coulson and Hill.

Thor was tempted to drop Loki at their feet, to make the hand-off as quick as possible. The power gem, still in Thor’s left hand, pulsed happily with the power it had taken from Loki, but Loki would replenish it eventually. Better to have him back in Asgard before that happened.

But he couldn’t. Even after the attempted invasion of Manhattan, after delivering Loki chained and gagged to the foot of Odin’s throne, Thor had not been able to humiliate Loki by taking away the chance to stand before his judges. He would certainly not do that now, before mere mortals, when Loki hadn’t even done anything (yet) deserving of such humiliation.

He landed carefully, one hand firmly around his brother’s waist, holding him up. “As promised, Director Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D., I have brought you Loki, of Asgard.” Loki choked out a wet, pained laugh at Thor’s choice of address. Thor ignored it. “You should be able to restrain him in one of your cells for a few we-,” Thor cut himself off, considering what he knew of his brother. “A few days. I would have your word that he will not be harmed.”

Fury nodded. “Not by us. Not if he cooperates.” Thor hesitated, then returned the nod. That was all they could promise, given their limitations. Fury gestured and five armed men came up to take Loki from Thor’s arms. Loki pressed closer to Thor, his hand tightening weakly around Thor’s arm, as if he thought Thor his refuge, his protection. As if Thor hadn’t just turned him over. It was pitiful, seeing his brother like this, stripped of the powers that allowed him to be defiant, even when facing overwhelming odds. Now even mortal men made him quake.

“Come brother,” Thor said, gently detaching Loki’s hand. “It will be easier if you go along.” For a moment it looked like Loki might try to struggle, but Thor shook his head. “Remember your pride.”

“Funny you should say that,” an obnoxiously familiar voice boomed out from metallic speakers. “What _pride_ is there in sucker punching an ally to turn him in?”

“Yeah!” The Wasp looked tiny beside Iron Man, but her attitude was just as big. “You’re supposed to be all about honour. Where’s the honour in this?”

Three of the men went down in a sudden _splooch_ of sticky webbing. “You know, guys, sometimes it’s better to get the witty banter out _after_ the ass-kicking.” Two more went down, quickly replaced by three times that many reinforcements. “Or during.”

“No,” Loki said, his voice clear and strong (stronger than it should have been). “Stop. Put away your…” He waved vaguely at Iron Man’s blasters and the Wasp’s hands, already poised to release her stingers, and Spiderman’s… Spiderman. “It’s over. It was… nice, but now it’s done.” The roar of the Quinjet, approaching quickly, made Loki wince. “Please tell me someone kept Bruce calm.”

“No guarantees,” Tony said tightly from behind the mask. “What Thor did to you, it looked… I don’t know what it felt like, but it looked bad, Loki. If you want…”

Loki shook his head. “No, stand down. I won’t be the reason S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers started a war. There is already such bad blood between the typical mortals and those with powers. It’s a powder keg even I wouldn’t want to tamper with.” He took a deep breath and pulled away from Thor. “I will go willingly, Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D., on the condition that the Avengers are to be left alone until… _unless_ they come to you.”

“I’m not negotiating with you,” Fury said. “My deal’s with your brother and, willing or not, you’re coming with us. One way or another, and no one, not even _my_ team is going to stop that.”

“Your team.” Loki shook his head. “Take me, then. Before I change my mind.”

Tony wasn’t willing to give up. “Loki…”

“If you act to prevent this, you act against Asgard,” Thor rumbled.

“Stand down, Anthony.” Loki smiled, thin-lipped. “Someone is going to have to keep everyone under control. I can trust you to do that, can’t I? To see the necessity and make the calls that others, overly emotional, cannot.”

A quick jerk of the headpiece was as close as Iron Man came to nodding. “I will. Make sure you get out of this.”

“I will do my best.”

There was a look in Loki’s eyes that Thor didn’t like. Mostly, since coming to Asgard and joining the Avengers, Loki had been like his old self – charming, cunning, a natural leader, even from behind the actual leader. That had been worrying enough, as that was the Loki who had brought Asgard’s sworn enemies into their treasure room, all to provoke his elder (foolish, at the time) brother into starting a war. That Loki was not to be trusted, but he was enjoyable, amusing, and generally overall benign.

But there were times when Thor couldn’t even see his brother in Loki’s face, when Loki was entirely the bitter, broken thing he had become while trying to conquer Midgard through the most ridiculous and doomed plan Thor had ever seen spring from his brilliant, if disturbed, mind. That Loki had been dangerous, capricious, and spiteful in his cruelty. But at least he could be trusted to be cruel.

The Loki Thor feared the most was this new Loki, this new look that he’d never seen before. The satisfied, fearful madness that flared from within him, a complex expression of nearly contradictory emotions that Thor would never have been able to read if he hadn’t grown up beside Loki since their first memories. This new Loki was just that, new, and could do…

…anything.

It was terrifying to Thor who, on their best days, could never quite predict what Loki wanted or would do. Loki was touched with magic, not unlike the Allmother, not unlike the Norns, and, while the fear was understandable, the satisfaction was worrying.

But it was out of Thor’s hands now. Fury would take control of Loki, see to it he was punished appropriately at the appropriate hands, and everything would be resolved one way or the other.

As the Avengers grudgingly flew back to the tower, under Iron Man’s orders, Thor settled against one of the many broad-based trees in the park.

He didn’t think he would be welcome back amongst them for a time.

If at all.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _This was unexpected, what do I do now?_  
>  _Could we start again, please._  
>  \- _Jesus Christ Superstar._

Natasha was missing.

The rest of the Avengers were in the situation (or living) room in the tower, drawing up plans to rescue someone who, apparently, didn’t want to be rescued. There was some contention there, with Tony and Janet pushing for patience (which was weird coming from them), convinced Loki had a plan, and Spiderman _adamant_ that Loki needed saving sooner rather than later from what he’d seen of Loki’s abduction. There was arguing amidst the planning, digs at people’s trust and courage, but Clint wasn’t paying attention to any of that. There was no question in his mind that they needed to take action, and sooner rather than later, but even that couldn’t distract him from the fact that Natasha was missing.

That was never good.

“You’re still hiding behind your mask, you snot-nosed little brat, so if there’s anyone who’s a coward here…”

The phone rang.

Everyone had cell phones, so the tower itself didn’t have a landline, per se. Several of the offices that rented out rooms had landlines, so the infrastructure was there, but there were no physical phones.

Until now.

It was red, and rotary, and _loud_. It cut through the fighting and rang again, piercing and sharp. Magical phones were something… new. But there was a short list of people who could (and would bother to) pull something like this off.

Tony and Steve exchanged looks and, without Loki there, Steve took the initiative and lifted the handle from the cradle and slowly brought it to his ear. “…hello?”

“ _Turn on the television. Any channel._ ” The voice was oddly familiar, but Clint couldn’t quite place it.

The phone disappeared from Steve’s hands, without even a puff of smoke. Bruce, who had stayed out of most of the argument, turned the TV on.

“– _even going so far as to follow a crazed alien so-called ‘god’ rather than the democratically elected government of this country. We give these people untold freedoms – to live and work and raise families alongside our own, and they repay us by throwing even the smallest amount of checks and balances we try to impose on them in our faces. Well, not anymore! Any citizen of America who wants to own rocket launchers or nuclear missiles, or even carry a loaded pistol, needs the permission of the government. All we want is to control these superhuman_ weapons _for the safety of everyone. They can still do their duties as American citizens, while registering themselves for the sake of the nation’s security._

“ _I call upon the Avengers, whose unilateral decision has forced our hand, to be the first to register, to reassure the American people that you are_ not _the terrorist group you appear to be._ ”

The roar of applause from the television was deafening. Senator Kelly, the man giving the speech, looked very pleased at the response. But it was the man standing behind him and off to the side, that caught Clint’s attention.

And he wasn’t the only one. “Isn’t that Henry?” Bobbi asked softly. Clint nodded. They hadn’t seen their official government liaison for weeks. This… may have been why.

“ _Sources close to the Avengers have given us disturbing information about their reasoning. Captain America doesn’t think this America is_ his _America, and so he decided he could abandon it._ ” Boos and hisses from the audience, and Bobbi reached over and clasped Steve’s hand reassuringly as he stared, heartsick, at the television. “ _Stark, as always, thinks he knows better and has_ bought _several of the Avengers, who need backing for their research. Backing the United States government could have provided if they’d only asked_. _And then there’s the X-men, Xavier’s not-so-little personal trained army…_ ”

“Turn it off,” Rhodey said angrily. Bruce did and no one made eye contact with anyone else. For people like Tony and Hank and Janet, this was hurtful but not devastating. For Rhodey and Steve and even Bobbi and Clint, these people were accusing them of going against everything they’d stood for. They’d signed up because they believed in their country, and had only turned away when that belief hadn’t outweighed the advantages of going it alone. Or hadn’t seemed to. Frankly, apart from the positive press they _had_ enjoyed, there wasn’t much of an actual benefit.

And Natasha was missing. This day couldn’t get much worse.

And then Tony opened his mouth and proved that yes. It could. “This isn’t such a bad idea.”

Spiderman made an outraged noise and Tony waved it aside. “Yeah, we know how you feel about secret identities, we got it. But, if I’m reading this right, all they’re asking us to do is stand up and be counted. This can actually work in our favour; it’ll make tracking down those few bad apples easier and it’ll make us look less… intimidating.”

“You mean _frightening_ ,” Steve corrected. “They’re scared Tony. I’ve seen this before.” He frowned. “All the propaganda with the slanty-eyed Japanese, looking more like demons than people. I’ve read the histories. I know we gathered them up in concentration camps, and we might not have gone so far as death camps, but our government has done some pretty grey things once they have a list of people to do them to.”

“Did you just compare the U.S. government to the Nazis? I mean, did _you_ just do that?” Tony demanded. “This isn’t a game, guys, you need to keep your emotions out of it and think logically. They’re right – we’re powerful and we’re scary and we’re not _just_ driving the kids to soccer practice and working nine-to-fives, we’re out there showing off what we can do, and what we can do is _terrifying_.”

Bruce shook his head. “There are people out there, people they want to register, who _are_ just soccer moms and football dads and, to be honest, school kids. _Kids_ , Tony. This isn’t just about us. Steve’s right, they’re trying to make us into the _other_ , and the moment anything goes wrong, we’re who they’ll scapegoat.”

“But you haven’t really seen the other side,” Wanda said. “There are people out there who _should_ be leashed and collared, and this law would make it easier to find them. If you’re not doing anything wrong, then you should have nothing to hide.” She shot an apologetic look at Spiderman. “And, if we’re all out there, our loved ones can be more protected.”

The argument went into full swing, with most of the Avengers siding with Steve, but enough on Tony’s side that it could easily escalate. Clint let the fighting cover his exit before they even brought up people like him and Natasha who were, as far as they knew, human without any ‘super’ attached, but just as much of a weapon as any mutant or god. It didn’t matter – when it came down to it, Clint could choose to accept it and bow his head as he had to S.H.I.E.L.D., or hide far enough away that they could never find him. It wasn’t an immediate problem.

Natasha was missing. That was.

Like Clint, if Natasha didn’t want to be found, it was the next thing to impossible to find her. There were always a few good places to start looking for leads, though (Clint being one of those places) and Clint wasn’t about to let a few well-burnt bridges stop him from trying the most obvious one first.

“You’re back too, sir?” Clint recognized the S.H.I.E.L.D. guard who greeted him, even if he couldn’t remember his name. “Romanoff is debriefing with Agent Coulson on the third floor. Shall I call up?”

Clint smiled. S.H.I.E.L.D. security seemed to be rather lacking regarding former infamous agents. “Nah, I’m expected. Thanks, though.”

The third floor was public access, or as close as any S.H.I.E.L.D. facility got. There were sign-in sheets and locked doors that needed passes or someone to buzz you in but, again, just Clint Barton’s face was enough to get him to where Natasha and Coulson were.

All the briefing rooms had an observation room attached, where one could watch and listen in to the interviews. One of the security guards waved at him as Clint picked up a pair of headphones and listened in.

Clint waved back.

“– _you were with Loki when he pulled away from S.H.I.E.L.D. You haven’t reported back in since then._ ”

Coulson sounded like he’d gone over this more than a few times.

“ _I’m not with him now. Nowhere close._ ” Natasha sounded like she had as well. If they were both showing how sick they were of this, they must have been working on each other for a while.

“ _Really? ‘Cause I have it on reasonably good authority that you were on the Quinjet to rescue him from Thor._ ”

“ _Even you’re calling that a rescue_?” Natasha asked, almost playfully. Coulson didn’t look impressed. “ _Look, I was never, ever with him. Just because I don’t report in doesn’t mean I’ve gone rogue. You’ve run Ops where I’ve made that call before_.”

He had. So had Clint. Those Ops had gone well, as a rule, despite the occasional panic attack from her teammates or handler. But it had never gotten so far that Clint or Coulson had truly doubted where Natasha’s loyalties lay. Until now. Either Natasha had been fooling Clint since the Avengers had split from S.H.I.E.L.D., or she was trying to fool Coulson now. Both were possible, if improbable, but only one was reality.

“ _I’ve seen you play a mark, Natasha,_ ” Coulson said as if reading Clint’s mind. “ _It didn’t look like that._ ” He leaned forward. “ _It looked kind of like this._ ”

Natasha leaned forward as well. “ _I’m with S.H.I.E.L.D._ ”

She wasn’t. That was the problem with outright lying. You got one shot at it, and the smallest tells could slip through and ruin everything. That was why Natasha (and Loki, Clint recalled) preferred half-truths and even full truths timed perfectly. Clint knew Natasha, and she was lying. The only question was if Coulson knew her as well as Clint did.

Coulson sighed. “ _In honour of your past work; and because you may not be with us, or our allies, but you’re not quite our enemy; I’m letting you walk out of here. If you show any sign of going off-grid or anywhere near Loki, We’ll try to take you out._ ” Natasha’s eyes narrowed and Coulson let his expression relax into a half-smile. “ _If you don’t have a problem with getting S.H.I.E.L.D. blood on your hands,_ again _, then feel free to make that call. We may not be able to stop you, but we can make the price high enough that you might not be willing to pay it._ ”

His eyes flashed to the one-way mirror that Clint was watching them through and, although there was no way for Coulson to know he was there, Clint flinched.

Natasha followed Coulson’s gaze, lingering far longer just past Clint’s face, before sighing. “ _It was worth a shot_.”

“Sir, if you wouldn’t mind…”

Clint’s sigh echoed Natasha’s. If she hadn’t managed to convince them, there was no chance he could. “I’m coming.” He followed the guards (six, well within his and Natasha’s abilities, but Coulson knew them well, knew how reluctant they were to shed S.H.I.E.L.D. blood) and met Natasha’s eyes easily when she came out of the interview room.

She, oddly enough, had trouble meeting his.

“I’d say Loki wouldn’t approve, but…”

That earned him a smile. “I had to do it, Clint. A little effort was the least I owed him.”

“It’s what he told us you’d do,” Clint said. “Did you two work this out or…”

Natasha shrugged. “Fate is rather inexorable. I tried to talk myself out of it, but I just… couldn’t.”

Loki was good at reading people, even better at reading the darker side of people, the manipulative edge that Natasha had always considered one of her strengths. Still, even for Loki, that had been one heck of a prediction. “I wonder how he knew.”

Natasha just shrugged again.

OoO-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-OoO

“What is this pitiful thing you bring before me?”

Fury couldn’t help the smirk that passed over his lips before he got his expression under control. “Loki of Asgard, Your… Majesty.” There was only the slightest hesitation before the honorific, which Fury hoped was the correct one. He had no idea what kings of Jötunheim called themselves, but better safe than sorry. “As promised.”

“Oh? This is the trickster? The liesmith? The genocide?”

Loki, chained in nothing more than normal handcuffs and gagged with simple cloth, bowed gracefully and mockingly.

“He’s… small. I see nothing of Odin or even the Allmother in this one.”

Loki’s eyes flared at that, a gesture that satisfied something deep inside Fury, the part that still remembered being compared to an insect and knowing that, on a certain level, it wasn’t completely untrue.

Helblindi wasn’t as impressed. “Release his tongue. I would hear those words that _drip_ with silver from his lips.”

Fury nodded and one of the guards ungagged him. Loki just smiled and remained silent, contrary as ever.

“Ah, the even rarer gift of silence. I would be honoured, if you weren’t so lessened before being brought to me.” Helblindi’s red eyes gleamed with avarice, an expression that Fury could read on every race and species he’d ever met. “Weak and defenceless, as your father attempted to make Jötunheim…” The words seemed to strike Helblindi and he looked troubled.

Loki noticed as well. “What’s wrong, Helblindi-king? Bad memories? Indigestion? _Nightmares_?”

“Silence, powerless peon,” Helblindi snapped. “You evaded Jötunn justice once before by throwing yourself off the same bifröst you tried to use to destroy us all.” He scowled, extremely displeased. “And now you escape once again, by virtue of your birth.” The last word was nearly spat, delivered with spirited disgust as Helblindi turned to Fury. “He’s the Allfather’s son. His punishment must come from that quarter.” A snort. “Perhaps, given Odin’s pattern of behaviour, he will return to your world, as stripped of his power and vulnerable as he is now, as if that could teach him anything other than how to destroy without the crutch of magic.”

Fury frowned. “You said…”

“I said you would have my attention. Trust me, Midgardian.” Helblindi smiled, and it did not look kind. “You have it.”

Great. The attention of the king of space ice giants. This type of thing was why Fury had harnessed the Avengers in the first place!

“In any case, give the _boy_ over to his father.”

Loki laughed, cutting and sharp. “I’m your elder, Helblindi, something that is rather more relevant than you might think.”

That seemed to mean as little to Helblindi as it did to Fury. “Take him to Asgard, mortal. See the justice they deal out for mere genocide and treason, when it’s their own who’s guilty.”

For some reason, that seemed to strike Loki as hilarious, and he giggled like a madman until they gagged him again.

It took nearly half an hour to readjust the array to transmit to Asgard. The moment they did, the image of a large golden-armoured man with what literally looked like stars in his eyes appeared.

“You have Loki.”

Loki seemed much more reactive to this man, rolling his eyes and snorting like an angered or frightened horse. It made Fury want to be polite, even generous.

“We do, mister… sir…”

Loki’s struggles freed his mouth from his gag. “ _Heimdall_.”

Fury hadn’t, in all the years of working against and then with and the against Loki again, ever heard Loki’s voice so full of vitriol. They’d thought that he’d had a personal grudge against Thor when he first came to Earth. If the poison now in Loki’s voice was any indication, that had been nothing, or at least had been tempered, compared to Loki’s feelings for this man.

Fury’s new best friend.

“Sir Heimdall,” Fury continued smoothly, ignoring Loki if not quite as coldly as Heimdall did. “It is my understanding that Loki’s punishments are meted out by Asgard alone?”

Heimdall nodded. “The Allfather accepts his… responsibility in this matter. If you would be patient, he will arrive in but a moment.” He hesitated a moment. “Incidentally, have no fear about attracting Helblindi’s attention. As long as Thor resided on your world, Helblindi’s eye would always be turned toward you.”

Helpful and useful information, given freely. Yup, this Heimdall was definitely one of Fury’s top ten favourite space aliens.

Loki stiffened beside him, and Fury noticed the approach of an older man and woman, both dressed in the extravagant ren-fair gear that Fury had come to expect from Asguardians. The woman, he could admit, seemed to wear it better. Apart from the quiet dignity with which she carried herself, she looked like any well-dressed upper-class woman.

The man, on the other hand, looked like an older, shorter, greyer, gloomier, one-eyed Thor. As Heimdall stepped aside, Loki looked away from them.

“Loki…” The woman sounded heartbroken. Loki’s head remained bowed.

The man stepped forward, oddly protective considering they were worlds away. “Loki.” He turned to Fury. “Let him speak.”

Thor had a way of giving orders that made it seem natural to obey, and Loki had a way of giving orders that were obeyed before anyone even noticed the order had been given. This man’s authority stripped them both down. Fury would have snapped to attention and followed his command if one of his own guards hadn’t beaten him to it.

Without orders. If Fury hadn’t been so flatfooted, he’d have had something to say about that.

The moment Loki’s mouth was freed, his head shot up. “Allfather.”

The man visibly winced and Fury had to fight back the impulse to backhand Loki for his impunity.

“My son.” He sounded just as heartbroken as the woman. Loki laughed, harsh and cruel.

“So, Helblindi-king was correct? That’s what this is going to be; a slap on the wrist and then back under Thor’s thumb.” Loki shook his head. “That’s why you gave Thor the power gem, Odin? That’s why you brought mother? Another opportunity to be forgiving and noble?”

Odin’s expression hardened. “Your brother seemed to think that you were handling yourself well enough until recently.”

“Thor is, and will always be, a fool,” Loki snarled.

“He loves you!” Odin declared. “As do we.” Loki scoffed, but Odin was unmoved. “There is no nobility in our forgiveness. There is nothing but the selfish wish that you might become the boy you once were.” He stepped forward, holding out his hand. “You need only apologize and return to our side, or stay with your brother, and all will be well. It can all be well, Loki.”

Loki’s eyes shone with tears, but likely, given his expression, they were tears of anger. “Apologize? For what, pray tell?”

“For attempting to undermine your brother’s Midgardian allies. For doing what you always do; causing strife and chaos wherever you go. These games might be amusing on Asgard, but they are dangerous to play with mere mortals.”

Loki shook his head. “No. I will not apologize for being who I am.”

Odin sighed. “Please, Loki. If not for me, then for your mother. These years have been hard on her, watching her clever boy turn into a bitter, cruel man.”

For the first time, Loki looked up at the woman who was his mother, and Fury could see why Coulson had always insisted, even from the first, that Loki lacked conviction.

Not that he’d ever let that stop him. “Is that what you’d have me do, mother? Return to your side as less than I could be, always suppressing my true self.”

“Loki, I would love you however you were, as long as you’d allow me to.”

The words, loving and understanding, seemed to hurt Loki more than anything Odin had said. Fury wondered if Loki even heard them, or if he was making them fit his own version of reality. If there was anyone who could twist total acceptance and love into a condemnation, it was Loki.

“No, Odin,” Loki said. “I may not have the power to fight against you, but I do have the will not to submit. I will _never_ apologize, or return to Asgard as your tame Jötunn.” What? That was the first Fury was hearing about _this_. “Have me killed or let me free, but do not shackle me unless you’re willing to risk me escaping to seek my vengeance.” He smiled. “After all, I’ve been an Avenger for some years now.”

Odin shook his head. “I’d hoped better for you, my son.”

“Not your son,” Loki said. “Never. Your. Son.”

Clearly, there was _history_ here.

Odin turned towards Fury. “You offered him to Helblindi-king, did you not?” Fury nodded. “Then he can have him, with my compliments.” Loki’s mother gave a deep sob, as if she couldn’t hold back anymore. Loki just smirked, looking dangerously pleased. “Perhaps some time under the gentle care of the Jötnar will change your mind, Loki.”

“Coward,” Loki spat, still looking satisfied as the image faded.

Fury shrugged. According to Thor, they had at least three more days until Loki’s powers returned. He wasn’t in any particular rush. “Let’s get Jötunheim back.”

Helblindi accepted Loki far more easily this time, especially when Fury offered to supply the power – Loki’s own, trapped in the red gem Thor had brought from Asgard – to get Loki to Jötunheim. After that, Fury didn’t really care what happened. He’d done his job, and a job well done it was.

He would sleep soundly tonight.

OoO-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-OoO

The moment Thor returned to the Avengers Tower, he was beset by Avengers.

Well, Clint and Natasha, but the others weren’t far behind.

“How could you–” Clint’s angry demand was cut off by Natasha before the conversation could derail into recriminations and accusations.

“How can we get to Loki?” Natasha asked instead, focusing on the important matter at hand. “S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn’t have him any longer.”

Thor shook his head. “No, he was to be brought to Asgard.”

“He’s not there either, Brutus,” Tony said, making yet another reference that Thor didn’t understand but was clearly an insult. “Your dad didn’t want him, apparently, according to your creepy guardian guy.”

Heimdall wouldn’t lie. Thor wasn’t even sure he was capable of deceit. “Then where is he?”

“That’s what we’re asking _you_.” Clint’s voice, normally controlled or lazily sarcastic, held barely controlled rage. “ _You_ turned him in, _you_ took his power, _you_ betrayed him. Don’t tell me you didn’t hang around to make sure everything went smoothly.”

“Loki’s powers couldn’t have returned for days,” Thor protested. “He was no threat.”

“What about the threat _to_ him?” Bruce, well aware of the danger of being a powerful being in the government’s hands, demanded.

Thor hadn’t considered that. Fury had said…

He had said that Loki wouldn’t come to harm at his hands. He had said that he’d planned to exile Loki off this planet. He’d never said anything about Loki’s health after his exile, or promised that the exile would be to Asgard.

He could be anywhere. Niflheim, Álfheim, Svartálfaheim, Vanaheim, Múspellsheim, Jötunheim… they all had their own grievances with Loki, amassed over the centuries of mischief and occasionally worse than mischief that Loki had indulged in. There were even worlds outside the nine realms where Loki had made enemies.

He could, quite literally, be anywhere other than on Midgard or Asgard.

“I will ask–”

“Jötunheim.”

Everyone turned to the new voice, as Coulson stepped out of the shadows. “He’s in Jötunheim.”

It had been two days since Thor had turned him in. Two days that Loki had been in the power of those who wanted him not only punished, but dead. Two days where Loki hadn’t had access to, not only his magic, but his physical strength and natural ability to heal.

Even if they hadn’t meant to, chances were that the Jötnar, even if they’d restrained themselves, had gone too far.

Coulson didn’t look apologetic, precisely, but he didn’t look happy either. “The information wasn’t classified, it just wasn’t discussed. As soon as I found out, I felt that you should be told.”

Thor felt his heart stutter, nearly stopping in his chest.

“Well, with this new registration thing, we need him more than ever,” Steve said, immediately taking charge. “How do we get him back, Thor? Thor?”

Thor fell to his knees, unhearing.

They couldn’t ever get Loki back. He was, almost certainly, dead.

And it was all Thor’s fault.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Every time I look at you I don’t understand_  
>  _Why you let the things you did get so out of hand_  
>  \- _Jesus Christ Superstar._

Helheim, named after its queen (or the other way around, Thor had always had trouble with minor details like that), was always the same. Over the centuries, Thor had visited only infrequently, quickly bored and disturbed by the heavy mists and deep, pervasive chill; the silence and gloom. If there was a realm that was the opposite of shining Asgard, it wasn’t Jötunheim, it was Helheim.

This was the realm of the dead, or one of them, at least. Those who didn’t fall in battle came here, as well as those who fell in battle without honour.

It wasn’t the first place Thor had come looking for Loki, hoping beyond hope that Loki was either alive or had met his end with the nobility and courage he’d shown in his youth, but it would, apparently, be the last.

“What could you possibly be doing here?” Loki asked the moment he spotted Thor, sounding brighter and more cheerful than he had any right to sound amidst the silent backdrop of mists and death.

Thor couldn’t answer, overcome with relief and remorse at the sight of his brother, unable to stop himself from rushing towards him and gathering him up in his arms.

Loki laughed. “Put me down, you brute!” But his arms settled on Thor’s shoulders rather than pushing him away. “Honestly, it’s been less than a year since you’ve seen me. I’ve kept track.”

That must have been difficult in this stagnant world, but Thor had no doubt that Loki had managed it. “I’m so sorry.”

“For what?” Loki asked, sounding genuinely curious. Which probably meant that he knew exactly what Thor was sorry for, or else he would have bluffed until Thor exposed himself.

“For betraying you. For allowing father to turn you over to those monsters…”

Loki sighed. “Oh, Thor.” He reached up and ruffled Thor’s hair. “You stupid boy. Like you even had a choice in the matter.”

“But I–”

“Served your intended, _fated_ , purpose,” Loki said. “Better than I’d ever dreamed you could have.” He smiled. “After my second death, how did the Allfather take it?”

Thor felt off-balance by Loki’s quick forgiveness that… wasn’t even forgiveness, really. Loki didn’t blame him at all. All the things Loki had blamed Thor for; all the slights, real and imagined, great and small; and this betrayal wasn’t one of them. Thor hadn’t ever done anything, including marching into Jötunheim, that he’d regretted more, and Loki didn’t even seem to care. It made no sense, it–

“Thor,” Loki reminded him gently. “What happened after I died?”

“Father was furious,” Thor said, holding Loki closer to him. Odin’s rage had been directed, Thor believed, partially at himself for letting Loki’s bratty denial push him far enough to hand him over to Jötunheim. “He’d never dreamed that you would have… that they’d… we couldn’t even recognize your body, but mother knew it was you the moment we returned with it to Asgard. Somehow, father’s glamour hadn’t faded and your skin never changed, but father returned to Jötunheim and denounced Helblindi-king as kinslayer for killing his elder brother. He proved his case and Helblindi-king was executed immediately.”

The trial had been difficult in itself, revealing Loki’s origins and Odin’s deceit. As the evidence had piled up, however, Helblindi had even stopped trying to defend himself, had stopped calling the Allfather a desperate liar and cheat, and accepted the charges. He hadn’t gone quietly, though, screaming about Odin’s treachery and violation of Jötunheim, stealing its heir and its power, and only one of the two openly. Thor, easily able to emphasise with someone who’d just lost a brother, had watched the execution the whole time, never looking away from the king who had dealt the killing blow to his own brother in ignorance and brutality, who had stolen away Thor’s chance at reconciliation and forgiveness. He hadn’t managed to hate Helblindi, and his anger was spread too thinly between himself and Fury and Odin for Helblindi’s death to be anything but a relief.

Odin hadn’t even seemed to take that much catharsis from the execution, holing up in his rooms for the next few days before emerging as if nothing had happened. Kings could mourn, but only privately.

Loki smiled, bitter but resigned. “Ah, vengeance. That must have been fun for him. At least I served _some_ sort of purpose to that twisted old man.”

“Loki…” Thor wasn’t in a position to make peace between his brother and his father, unable to speak for either of them, their emotions and motivations endlessly complicated compared to Thor’s. All he could do was let his own need show, his desire for them to be a family once more.

Loki pulled away, rather than responding, waving his hand to gather the mist into a physical form and creating soft chairs for them and sitting in one. Thor gingerly sat on the other, not sure he liked this odd humour his brother was in.

“Now, Thor, before we get distracted with why you came, tell me about the others.”

Thor rearranged his thoughts away from his father’s grief-stricken rage, and his mother’s simpler but no less profound mourning. There had been no official mourning in Asgard this time, for Loki had been revealed as a Jötunn; a prince, perhaps, but not of Asgard. There were private moments, between those who had known Loki well, but even his burial had been quiet and discreet. There had to be a way to explain that, however, that didn’t make it seem as though Loki hadn’t been missed. Thor, his parents, his friends; they’d all missed and mourned for Loki even after everything he’d done. If Thor just stuck to them, he could paint a picture that would, honestly, make Loki feel as though he had been loved.

“Thor.”

“Mmm?”

Loki smiled indulgently, amused at Thor’s distraction. “The others? How to they fare?”

Ah, right. “When I was last in Asgard, Sif and the Warriors Three–”

“I didn’t mean _your_ friends, Thor.”

Ah, of course. “Sigyn is–”

“The _Avengers_ , brother,” Loki said, exasperated. “I’m sure Sigyn is fine. She always is. How fare the Avengers?”

Thor hadn’t been back to Midgard for more than a week here and there, looking for traces of anything Loki might have left to allow him to return to the realm. He’d found nothing and, more disturbingly, he’d found his former allies more focused on their current issues than on their recent loss. “Not… well. Tony and Steve are at odds over the Superhuman Registration Act, and they have split the team rather in half.” Thor didn’t know what to make of Loki’s pleased smile at that. “Ah, I registered you, just in case you were able to return to Midgard. I wouldn’t want you to be punished over a technicality.”

“Kind of you,” Loki _purred_ , disturbingly. “So, Anthony took my words to heart, and has made the unemotional, logical call. While Steven is still the idealist. Unsurprising, but gratifying.”

“You prepared them for this?” Thor asked, brightening. Even in Loki’s downfall, he’d protected his people. Perhaps this showed enough nobility to allow him to return to Asgard.

Loki laughed. “I prepared them for much worse, Thor, and ensured that such preparations would not be wasted.”

“I… I don’t understand. You set them up for this?”

“It was simple,” Loki said, as if the only question had been logistical. “Mortals are easy to manipulate, in general, but politicians and civil servants seem to be even more susceptible to suggestion and guile. Anthony, of course, took more work, but it will certainly be worth it.”

“…why?”

Loki smiled. “To give them a chance. Only when one has the opportunity to fail, can one succeed brilliantly. And they seem to be failing rather spectacularly.”

“I thought you cared for them.”

“Only as much as I care for you, brother.”

Thor stood and paced. He’d never been good with sitting still. “What happens now, then?” he asked. “The heroes of Midgard are caught up in a battle amongst themselves, Asgard refuses to change or reach out to any of the other realms, the king of Jötunheim is named kinslayer and executed, and you are trapped in Helheim.”

Loki laughed. “Trapped? Thor, I’m no more trapped than I ever was in Anthony’s tower or Odin’s palace. I admit that seeing you here is something of a surprise, but it’s hardly an insurmountable one.”

From the shifting shadows, a figure emerged, both lovely and hideous. Loki smiled.

“Hello, Hella.”

One half of Hella’s face smiled, the other twisted in a gruesome parody of a smile, the grey, decrepit skin flaking off to reveal decaying tissue. “Father.” Loki bent to embrace her, pressing his lips to her ruined forehead as one slim, perfect arm encircled his back, meeting with a rotted, putrid one. Thor turned away.

“Everything’s ready, father,” Hella said, pulling away. “Fenrir’s chains are weakened and Jormungand awakens.”

“Good girl,” Loki said affectionately. “And are you prepared?”

“With an enviable army. The Jötnar are currently lead by Hrym, who plans to meet us en route to Asgard. Sutur is already on the move.”

Thor gaped at them both, his horror overcoming his revulsion at Hella’s inhuman appearance. “You’re talking about Ragnarok!”

Loki nodded placidly. “Indeed I am. And why not? Is this not the perfect time? Asgard rots from within, Jötunheim seethes with the desire for revenge, Midgard stands on the brink of oblivion with one wrong move, and I am bored. If nothing else, the new world should be interesting. For a time, at least.”

Hella gave Thor her hideous smile. “Come, uncle. Allow the cycle to continue. Everyone is in their place except for you. You should be in Asgard, at your father’s side.”

There was a part of Thor that simply didn’t want to, that wanted to stay with his brother now that he’d finally found him, even in this hellscape. But Hella was right. This wasn’t his place. “With your leave, My Lady.”

“Go, and give my brother my love when you see him.”

Thor smiled and raised his hand, feeling his godhead wash over him as Mjölnir came to his call, eager for the impending fight with the Midgard Serpent as he was. “I will give him far more than that.” He turned to his brother. “Loki. I will see you in the new cycle.”

“Not if I see you first,” Loki said with half smile, waving his hand and spiriting Thor away, back to Asgard.

Just in time to hear Heimdell blow that _Gjallarhorn_ , just in time to hear the deafening howl of Fenrir and catch a glimpse of Jormungand’s scales glinting in the twilight of Asgard’s sun, just in time to get swept up in the rush of warriors marching towards battle with the frost giants, just in time to see Odin on Sleipnir, leading one last charge, towards a fate everyone knew had always been predestined.

Mistakes, plots, secrets, decisions; all had led to this point. Any different ones would have led, inevitably, to this point. That was the nature of fate and Thor, like Loki, was tired of fighting it.

As he turned towards the giant serpent, his hammer held aloft against the swift tail and corrosive poison of Jormungand’s fangs.

His only regret was that he still didn’t understand _why_. Why Loki had chosen a small group of mortals for his penultimate stand. Why he had given himself up rather than fight or, what was more his style, run. Why he had chosen to end this cycle rather than repair it. What had he truly sacrificed, and what sacrifices was he demanding of everyone else. Loki had bent to fate, but did he truly believe he was what he was said to be?

It could hardly change anything at this point. Truly, Thor only wanted to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There’s a school of thought that Ragnarok (triggered about by Loki’s ‘resurrection’ from torture) has already happened, and was the introduction of Christianity to the Norse people. There’s probably a good point to this, as the majority of recorded records of the old Norse religion have been filtered through the lens of Christian scholars, allowing a rebirth of the religion, albeit in a new form. Still, if there’s a Norse God who’s the equivalent to Jesus, it would probably be the beloved Baldr (not Loki), what with the whole rising from the dead to rule over paradise, while Loki was generally reviled and despised as his murderer-by-proxy…
> 
> …Happy Easter everyone! XD


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